President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has inaugurated the residential complex for Court of Appeal judges sited at Danyame, in the Kumasi metropolis, yesterday.
The sod cutting for the commencement of the about GH¢76,575,937.00 project, was performed by the President with the support of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Chief Justice Annin Yeboah, on April 20, last year.
Covering a seven-acre land, it is a gated community of 20 units of four-bedroom apartments with outer houses (boys’ quarters), a swimming pool, a guest house, a club house and a tennis court.
Also inaugurated were six units of three-bedroom houses with boys’ quarters, a parking lot for the directors and other supporting administrative staff of the judicial service.
The complex would serve as permanent residences for Court of Appeal Judges based in Kumasi and mandated to handle cases in the northern part of Ghana.
Present to grace the ceremony included the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Justice Anin Yeboah, Chief Justice, a former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo and a host of government officials and Members of Parliament.
It was sponsored by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, through the District Assembly Common Fund.
The President was hopeful that the provision of the facility would motivate the judiciary to work harder to promote the justice system in the country.
He gave government’s assurance to support the judiciary in all their efforts saying “government will continue to implement policies to advance the rule of law, and, thereby, reinforce the confidence of the people, and shore up our nation’s reputation as a country governed by the rule of law.”
The President praised the Asantehene for releasing a seven acre land for the project and the entire Asanteman for supporting it.
Justice Yeboah recalled the Court of Appeal complex initiated by President J.A. Kufuor’s administration which was completed in 2008.
But said, since there were no permanent residential accommodation for the judges, they normally commuted from Accra and Kumasi to handle cases which was a bane, as all appeal cases had to be heard in Accra.
He talked about enhancing the human resource of the judiciary and appealed to the government to ensure financial clearance to enable some staff to be recruited to ensure the maintenance of the courts and others.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI