Minority Leader proposes District Assemblies' Common Fund support for Judiciary

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament, has proposed that new rules be developed to allow for the allocation of the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) support to the Judiciary to enable it to construct district courts across the country.

The Minority Leader, also the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, said such rules would ensure that "it becomes a matter of practice such that no matter which government is in power, every other year, we expect that a number of district courts will be built with allocation from the DACF."

Mr Iddrisu made the proposal in Tamale on Saturday when he handed over a Community-based Health Planning and System (CHPS) Compound and a Meat Shop to Gbambaya Community and Kukuo Butchers in the Tamale Metropolis.

He constructed both facilities through his 2017 share of the DACF to improve healthcare delivery for the people of Gbambaya and ensure hygiene in meat processing as well as improve economic activities of butchers at Kukuo.

Mr Iddrisu argued that it was not fair for only the Executive and the Legislature to benefit from the DACF whiles the Judiciary, which was also an arm of government, be denied such financial support.

He said: "Year in year out, the allocations of the DACF are only limited to the Executive and the Legislature. I think it is only fair and proper that we extend the same financial support to the Judiciary to improve the delivery and administration of justice in the districts and improve the quality of the court structures from the districts to the national level.

Currently, it is the duty of the district assemblies to construct courts in their jurisdictions. However, many districts are unable to do so because of lack of funds whiles those with court structures are unable to maintain them leaving such structures in a deplorable state.

This means that cases are tried at the nearest courts, a situation which makes it difficult for the accessibility of justice.

Mr Iddrisu said he had discussed this policy proposal with the Majority Leader, adding; "I have mentioned this to the Administrator of the DACF and I will insist as the Minority Leader responsible for oversight that this is done."

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of the projects expressed gratitude to the Tamale South MP for addressing their concerns.