Ghana, US partner to strengthen justice sector reforms

The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the “Justice Sector Support Activity” Project in Accra.

The three-year project, is being implemented by Ms Daphne Lariba Nabila, the Executive Director of (LRC) in partnership with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Africa Office and in collaboration with Crime Check Foundation (CCF).

In 2018, Ghana launched the first electronic Integrated Criminal Justice Case-Tracking System (CTS) project to support key stakeholders in the justice delivery system to collect, collate and harmonize statistical data for effective justice delivery.

The CTS project which is being supported by the USAID is to enable the key actors in the justice delivery system to electronically access and track the various stages of criminal cases from the point of arrest, investigations, prosecution, conviction, rehabilitation and release.

Ms Daphne Lariba Nabila, speaking at the launch said the project seeks to monitor and sustain the implementation of Ghana`s CTS.

She said the software system instituted by Chemonics International and partners is aimed at employing technology solutions to track criminal cases from inception until being disposed of.

She said the project, which would be implemented at 40 Districts in eight Regions would ensure that marginalized communities through mobilization and innovative public education programmes will help track the progress of the CTS.

The Executive Director said the project would keenly monitor and advocate the utilization of the CTS by targeted Justice Sector Institutions, mobilize citizen groups to monitor the CTS process and facilitate demand for its functionality.

Ms Nabila said over the past two decades, Ghana‘s criminal justice system had witnessed considerable progress in justice delivery culminating in the country being adjudged as the sixth-best in Sub-Saharan Africa in civil justice in 2020.