President Mills cuts sod for work to begin on $50m modern courtroom complex

President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday cut the sod for work to commence on a 34-Courtroom Court Complex in Accra, with the assurance that Government would continue to support the Judiciary to operate in peace.

“It is Government’s responsibility to provide an enabling environment for the progress of the rule of law; we must provide the necessary atmosphere so that the Judiciary can work in peace,” President Mills said.

The 34-Courtroom Complex project, estimated at about $50 million, would be financed by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), and executed by China Hualong Construction Limited.

Located on the defunct Victoriaborg Press, close to Cocoa Affairs Court on Accra High Street, the complex which has been designed by Avangarde Design Services, would be a modern structure that would provide a more comfortable premise for lawyers and judges to adjudicate cases.

President Mills cited the existence and practice of a sound judicial system as the basis for the freedom and justice needed for accelerated national growth and development.

“Where there is justice, there is freedom,” President Mills said.

Justice, he said, demanded sound structures where all the stakeholders in the Judiciary would be fair and ready to attend to the needs of the people.

President Mills stressed the need for the Executive and Judiciary to support each other to pursue the common agenda of ensuring justice to Ghanaians.

He said demands on the national coffers made it difficult to satisfy adequately the needs of the Judiciary, but added that the commencement of work on the complex should be evidence of Government’s sincerity to address needs of the Judiciary.

President Mills gave the assurance that Government would partner stakeholders to ensure sound delivery of justice.

Present at the ceremony were the Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, Mr Martin Amidu, Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Dr Frank Odoom, Director-General of SSNIT.

Also present were the President and Members of Constitutional Court of Togo.

Source: GNA