“Ladies and Gentlemen, it has long been the belief of the third arm of government that the administration of
justice cannot be left to lawyers and judges alone. The law is so important and so vital to nationhood that all
must take a keen interest in its administration. If we are to survive and thrive as a nation state, then justice
delivery must be done well, and the law must be applied to all and policed by all”, she said.
Chief Justice Torkornoo was speaking at the inauguration of a District Court in Akwatia, in the Denkyembour
District of the Eastern Region of Ghana.
Participants at the programme
She expressed deep appreciation to the Denkyembour District Assembly for its commitment and sacrifices in
providing a court for the people of Akwatia and its neighbouring communities. According to her, “it is evidence
that all actors in the community are ready to do their part in justice delivery”.
She also admonished staff to “present a new and friendlier face of justice in the District” and offer the needed
assistance and help to stakeholders who patronized the services of the court.
Hon. Henry Boakye Yiadom, MP for the Akwatia Constituency
The Member of Parliament for Akwatia Constituency, Honourable Henry Boakye Yiadom, expressed hope
that the court would be a pillar of support for the vulnerable and marginalized in the constituency whiles
ensuring their rights were protected.
Courtroom
In a related development, a District Court has been inaugurated at Kraboa Coaltar in the Ayensuano District
of the Eastern Region of Ghana, where Chief Justice Torkornoo expressed the Judiciary’s confidence that the
presence of the court in the community would ensure that “fewer people contemplate the use of extra-judicial
avenues of seeking redress and resolving disputes”.
The Hon. Lady Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, cutting the tape to inaugurate the court
‘Through this Court, we can allow more and more people to see justice being dispensed at close range and thus
build confidence for businesses and investment in property, because when the rule of law is established in any
society, it delivers order and justice”, she said.
Hon. Josephine Awuku Ansaa Inkoom, District Chief Executive for Ayensuano giving her remarks
For her part, the District Chief Executive for Ayensuano District Assembly, Honourable Josephine Awuku Ansaa Inkoom,
was happy that the district finally had a court, particularly because Prosecutors and the District Police Command
previously had to transfer cases from the district to either Nsawam or Suhum for prosecution.
“Cases sent are frequently adjourned and piled up because witnesses do not have the resources to commute to
these towns to aid the prosecution process taking into consideration the cumbersome processes sometimes
prosecution takes before judgment is given”, she said.
She was therefore optimistic that the court would greatly serve its purpose and stand as a symbol of hope,
fairness and equality for all.
District Court, Coaltar
Both the District Court in Akwatia and Kraboa Coaltar are part of the nationwide construction of one hundred
Courthouses Programme embarked on by the Government of Ghana in 2020 to improve judicial infrastructure.
CJ in a group photograph with dignitaries
Each District Court has adequate office space for the various court functions, washrooms for Staff and Court Users,
Male and Female Cells, solar power for essential load, standby generator and borehole to provide sustainable supply
for the washrooms as well as electric fencing to boost security. Both facilities also have dedicated spaces for Court
Connected Alternative Dispute Resolution (CCADR) and are equipped with a Direct Transcription System (DTS) to
facilitate the adjudication process.