We’re ready to deal with electoral disputes - Chief Justice

The Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has said the judiciary is determined to adjudicate on electoral disputes that may arise in the run-up to the 2020 elections in an efficient and expeditious manner.

“We do not want any electoral dispute to be hanging for far too long. We want an efficient and very smart disposal of cases,” he said.

In view of that, Justice Anim Yeboah said the Judicial Service had commenced training on electoral disputes for judges and other judicial officers, especially newly appointed ones.

The Chief Justice was speaking at a meeting with a team from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), led by its President, Dr George Agyekum Nana Donkor, when the latter paid a courtesy call on him in Accra Monday.

Dr Donkor, a magistrate at the Osu District Court, was in Ghana to formally introduce himself to the Chief Justice since his appointment as President of the EBID in January 2020.

Commendation

Justice Anim Yeboah congratulated Dr Donkor on his appointment and urged him to channel some of the bank’s resources into financing infrastructure for the judiciary.

For example, he said the Judicial Service had planned to construct a training institute which would cost about $50 million, but the project had stalled due to lack of funds.

“We have gone very far in acquiring a land but there is a problem of financing. This project is very crucial to the development of the judiciary. We are putting in a plea for you to come to our rescue,” the Chief Justice said.

Assurance

Dr Donkor assured the Chief Justice that the EBID would take up the issue and see how it could assist.

“We will dedicate a contact person to look for all the information and see how we can help. The only thing is that the government of Ghana has to take the credit facility on behalf of the Judicial Service,” he said.

In the short term, Dr Donkor said the bank would sponsor the training of judges and other staff of the Judicial Service to build their capacity.

He said an effective judicial system was important in driving investment and development of the country, adding that without a good judicial system, investors would shy away from investing in a country.

“The legal system is very key to our progress as a bank. We have financed projects in all the 15 countries of ECOWAS. If borrowers take money from us and they do not pay, we have to go to court for redress,” Dr Donkor said.