Justice Dzamefe calls for urgent expansion of court infrastructure

A judge at the Court of Appeal and nominee for the Supreme Court, Justice Senyo Dzamefe, has highlighted the urgent need for more courts in Ghana during his vetting by the Parliament's Appointments Committee.

Responding to questions during his appearance before the Committee on June 16, Justice Dzamefe made a strong case for the expansion of court infrastructure and tapping into modern technology to ensure a seamless justice delivery system.

He argued that the existing courts are overwhelmed, and hence negatively impact both the speed and quality of justice.

Justice Dzamefe emphasised the importance of expanding court infrastructure and integrating modern technology to relieve pressure on Ghana's overstretched judicial system.

"To maximise productivity, one must first consider human resources. That's the mistake many people make. Think of those who will give you the product. It starts with motivating the staff," he stated.

To tackle these challenges, Justice Dzamefe proposed several key initiatives:

Increased court infrastructure:

Establishing more courts to distribute the workload evenly and expedite case resolution.

Technological integration:

Utilising modern tools such as artificial intelligence, voice recording, and transcription systems to streamline court operations.

Virtual courtrooms:

Allowing virtual testimony to reduce delays and enhance accessibility.

Justice Dzamefe reiterated that the existing courts are overwhelmed, causing significant delays in delivering justice.

"To improve the pace of work, we cannot overload our courts. So, what do we need?. We need more courts. With more courts, cases can be resolved more quickly," he explained.

He also suggested implementing fixed timelines for court cases, proposing that:

Civil cases should be completed within six months.

He further advocated for the rollout of technology, including artificial intelligence like voice recording and automated transcription systems, to replace outdated manual processes still in use in some courtrooms.

This initiative aims to enhance judicial efficiency, reduce case backlogs, and rebuild public confidence in the legal system.

"The era of longhand documentation is behind us. We must adopt AI tools for voice recording and transcription, ensuring that by the end of each court session, records are readily available," he said.

NAD/VPO

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