Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has expressed concerns about the rate at which disputed land cases have flooded all the courts across the country.
While describing this development as "unfortunate,” the CJ said it raises concerns about both domestic and external investment in the country.
According to the CJ, there are a lot of land-disputed cases per assessment conducted by the Judicial Service, as measures are being taken to provide justice to Ghanaians.
Justice Torkornoo urged young people and foreign investors to seek assurance anytime they want to buy land.
She expressed these concerns during her first major engagement with members of the Judicial Press Corps on Thursday.
Summary of breakdown of cases in the Greater Accra Region (excluding Tema):
The total number of cases (both civil and criminal) recorded within the period (as of 2023) was 37,128.
The total number of criminal cases across all courts within the Greater Accra Region was 16,530. This category represents approximately 44.52% of all cases in the region. It indicates a significant portion of cases involving criminal matters, suggesting potential issues with crime or law enforcement within the region.
The total number of civil cases across all courts within the region was 20,598. This category represents 47.06% of all cases. It suggests a substantial volume of civil disputes within the region that cover various civil jurisdictions such as land, commercial, human rights, labour, divorce, and matrimonial.
There are a total of 3,124 land cases. Land cases constitute approximately 8.41% of all cases (both civil and criminal) in Greater Accra excluding Tema and 15.17% of civil cases in the region.
The total number of commercial cases is 3,982. This category represents around 10.73% of all cases (both civil and criminal) and 19.33% of only civil cases in the region, excluding Tema. It suggests a notable presence of commercial disputes within the region, involving business-related matters such as contracts, trade, and commerce.
Summary of breakdown of cases in Tema:
The total number of cases (both civil and criminal) recorded within the period (as of 2023) in Tema was 4,084 cases.
Criminal cases of 1,652 account for approximately 40.45% of all cases, suggesting a significant portion of cases involving criminal matters in Tema. However, the High Court recorded the least number of criminal cases (41) since two High Courts (C & D) were designated as Land Courts and so recorded only civil cases.
A total of 2,432 civil cases represent about 59.54% of the total, indicating that a substantial volume of civil disputes are recorded in Tema.
Land cases of 356 constitute around 8.72% of all cases (both civil and criminal) and 14.64% of only civil cases, indicating fewer land-related disputes compared to criminal and civil cases.
