Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the operations of Ghana’s Judiciary, following a courtesy call from Chief Justice Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
The meeting, held earlier today, also included Supreme Court Judge Justice Gabriel Pwamang, the Acting Director of the Ghana School of Law Prof. Raymond Atuguba, the Judicial Secretary, and the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine.
According to Dr Forson, the Chief Justice expressed appreciation for the Ministry of Finance’s continued support, while also highlighting the challenges affecting the courts.
“The Chief Justice underscored congestion in the courts as a major constraint to effective justice delivery and outlined a range of solutions currently in the pipeline to address this challenge,” he noted in a social media post on Wednesday, January 21.
The Finance Minister said discussions also focused on improving the working conditions of judicial staff and enhancing the operational efficiency of the courts.
He indicated that the Ministry of Finance is committed to collaborating closely with the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice to address these pressing concerns.
Among the measures being considered, Dr Forson revealed that the Ministry is examining the possibility of allowing the Judiciary full access to its internally generated funds (IGF).
“As part of the measures under consideration, I am examining the possibility of allowing the Judiciary to utilise 100 percent of its IGF to address pressing operational needs,” he explained.
Dr Forson emphasised that these steps are aimed at supporting the Judiciary to function more effectively, reduce case backlog, and ensure that Ghanaians receive timely and efficient justice.
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to a productive partnership between the Ministry of Finance and the Judiciary to tackle these systemic challenges.
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