By Bernice Bessey
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has pledged to address long-standing challenges confronting Ghana’s judiciary, assuring that under his leadership, concerns about the welfare and efficiency of the courts would no longer be overlooked.
He made the commitment on Wednesday at the 44th Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) in Accra.
Dr. Ayine, who was attending the conference for the first time in his current role, said he was committed to ensuring that the judiciary receives the needed support to enhance its work.
“When I was Deputy Attorney-General, I made it a point to take issues directly to the Ministry of Finance rather than burden the Chief Justice or the Judicial Secretary. That is the same attitude I bring again to this office,” he noted.
He further promised to mobilise resources, even beyond government allocations, to improve conditions of service for judges and magistrates.
Speaking on the theme, Leveraging Technology to Enhance Justice Delivery, the Attorney-General highlighted the urgency of modernising Ghana’s judicial system to meet the demands of the digital age.
He stressed that justice delivery must evolve alongside technological advances in finance, health, commerce, and politics, adding that innovations such as e-filing, virtual hearings, digitised law reporting, and case management platforms could help reduce delays and restore public confidence in the courts.
However, Dr. Ayine admitted that obstacles remained, including poor infrastructure in rural courts, inadequate training for judicial officers, cyber security threats, and outdated legal frameworks that have not fully embraced digital processes.
He therefore outlined five priorities for judicial reform, including a nationwide rollout of e-justice systems, institutionalisation of virtual hearings, creation of a central legal knowledge hub, targeted training, and public-private partnerships to fund digitalisation efforts.
Justice Henry Anthony Kwofie, President of the AMJG, earlier expressed frustration over inadequate facilities, unpaid allowances, and logistical challenges that continue to hamper the work of judges.
He urged government to treat judicial welfare with urgency, warning that such neglect undermines justice delivery.
The conference also featured goodwill messages from the Ghana Bar Association and the Ghana School of Law, all of whom underscored the importance of technology and integrity in strengthening the nation’s justice system.
