Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkonoo
The Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkonoo has launched 12 specialized courts to handle small claims and debt recovery cases, with eight located in the Greater Accra and four in the Ashanti Regions respectively.
These specialized courts aim to provide a more streamlined process for handling small claims and debt recovery cases, reducing the workload of district courts and promoting a more efficient judicial system.
The data reveals that over 70% of cases filed by Bills MicroCredit involve claims less than GHC5,000, contributing significantly to the workload of district courts.
To alleviate this, the Judicial Service, with the support from Bills MicroCredit, established these specialized courts to clear the backlog of cases.
The courts will operate on weekdays in the afternoons and on Saturdays, with specific courts designated for Saturday sittings and others for weekday afternoon sittings.
Chief Justice Torkonoo expressed gratitude to Bills MicroCredit for supporting the operations of these courts.
Richard Quaye, CEO of Bills MicroCredit, highlighted the challenges his company face with defaulters, having filed 30,000 cases nationwide.
He believes the new Small Claims Court will significantly alleviate the burden on the judicial system, ensuring faster and more efficient resolution of cases.
BY Daniel Bampoe