We've saved over GHC10-trillion from civil litigation, judgement debts — Akufo-Addo

The Office of the Attorney General by contesting civil litigation and avoiding numerous judgment debts, has saved the country over 10 -trillion Ghana cedis (GHC10 trillion).

“The Attorney-General has continued, in a very effective manner, under my administration of contesting every civil litigation against the State and has also avoided the numerous judgment debts that used to be given against the State.

“The Office, as a result, has saved the country over ten trillion Ghana cedis (GHC10trillion.”

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said this in his State of the Nations Address (SONA) in Parliament on Tuesday.

The President said in a few weeks he would be commissioning a “Law House” that is a 12-storey building, which would house the Offices of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice.

According to the President, the commissioning would “bring an end to the age-old office accommodation problem”.

He noted that the building was started when he was the Attorney General in the government of former President John Agyekum Kuffour in the year 2001.

President Akufo-Addo said Ghana had made great progress in the provision of various court buildings and residences for judges around the country.

He said in the year 2020 the government set out to construct 100 courthouses with residential facilities nationwide.

“As of 31 January 2024, sixty -seven courthouses had been successfully inaugurated and in use. Twelve completed projects have been slated for inauguration by the end of this month of February 2024.

“In addition, one hundred and twenty-one (121) residential units have been constructed for judges throughout the country.”

The President said 20 fully furnished four-bedroom apartments, together with social amenities, had been constructed for Justices of the Court of Appeal in Kumasi.

He said the government was now paying attention to the digitisation of the courts to modernise the entire system and foster greater access to justice.

On the virtual court system which was rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic, the President said the 160 courts had been equipped with devices for real-time transcription of cases and 51 courts were piloting the paperless court system in Accra.

“The integration of the real-time transcription devices in one hundred and sixty (160) courts has revolutionised the way in which court proceedings are being recorded and documented,” he stated.

GNA