Following a threat by former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo to close down the Bongo district court in the Upper East Region over its poor condition, the Bongo District Assembly has renovated the court and handed over to the judicial service for use.
The court building, before its renovation, did not have offices in it, the washrooms were unusable, the ceiling was falling off, and the plaster on the walls had peeled off.
The situation greatly affected justice delivery in the district, causing the former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo during a working visit to the district to threaten to close down the court.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, District Chief Executive of Bongo, Peter Ayinbisa said the assembly’s swift renovation of the court underscores its commitment to provide decent court for justice delivery.
“As a people and a local government, we felt the judicial service deserves better than that to provide the kind of services we wish them to provide. This necessitated the Assembly to prioritize the renovation of this building in its 2019 budget and by the close of 2019, the renovation works had completed. I acknowledge the efforts of His Lordship, the Chief Justice and the Judicial Service in the provision of the critical equipment for the efficient operation of the court,” he said.
Mr. Ayinbisa said the assembly shall collaborate with the judicial service to ensure the regular maintenance of the facility for the benefit of the people.
Upper East Regional Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Jacob B. Boon commended the Bongo assembly for the timely intervention.
Justice Boon admonished all assemblies to provide a decent and conducive environment for an effective and efficient dispensation of justice.
He strongly warned of closing down the Bolgatanga District Court over its dilapidated state and the lackadaisical attitude of the Bolgatanga municipal assembly to refurbish the court.
“We are not happy with the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly because assemblies that even came after Bolgatanga are making efforts to put up decent places for their courts and Bolgatanga should not be left behind. We are dissatisfied because an official of the assembly told us that providing a court house is not a priority for the municipal assembly. I do not know if he speaks for the whole assembly but all the same, he is a high official and I think that his words carry a lot of weight.”
“I call on the Regional Minister to call the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly to order. Otherwise, if I recommend to the Chief Justice to close down the Bolgatanga District Court because we have no decent court, nobody should blame anybody,” he noted.