Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkonoo
In a bold vision to enhance the delivery of justice in Ghana, Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkonoo has emphasized the importance of providing paralegal training to staff of the Judicial Service.
This training aims to equip the staff with the necessary legal knowledge to effectively support the bench in administering justice.
Chief Justice Torkonoo revealed that materials have already been developed and made available for training, with some staff members having already undergone the program. It is expected that the trained staff will play a pivotal role in ensuring that justice is delivered efficiently and timely.
Notably, the paralegal training initiative is not limited to Judicial Service Staff alone. Other professionals including police investigators, prosecutors, mediators, and external court service providers such as process servers, valuers, surveyors, financial experts, and auctioneers will also benefit from this program.
These individuals contribute to the court’s work by offering alternate dispute resolution services.
Chief Justice Torkonoo expressed her commitment to combating corruption, ineptitude, and inefficiency within the judiciary and the Judicial Service of Ghana. Alongside the training initiative, she stressed the importance of implementing consistent culture-changing strategies to strengthen ethical models within the courts. A practice direction has been developed to promote transparency, competence, due process, and integrity in the court’s work.
The Chief Justice called for partnerships with relevant stakeholders to develop effective programs that will expedite culture change and other interventions aimed at enhancing ethical standards within the Judicial Service.
Recognizing the significance of digitalization in the judicial process, Chief Justice Torkonoo stressed the urgent need to establish a modern archive center. This center would streamline the storage and retrieval of court records in a coherent and orderly manner, ensuring ease of access for court users.
Chief Justice Torkonoo commended the Ghana Bar Association for their unwavering support to the judiciary and the Judicial Service.
With these transformative measures and partnerships, Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkonoo aims to revolutionize justice delivery in Ghana, creating a more efficient, transparent, and ethical judicial system for all.
By Vincent Kubi