Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has appealed to the government to increase its budget allocation to the judicial service to ensure its sustained growth.

In her acceptance speech after being sworn-in as Chief Justice today, June 12, Justice Torkornoo noted that government has made a significant investment towards the growth of the judicial service.

She highlighted the digitalization of court processes as one of the benefits derived from the government's numerous developmental projects.

However, Justice Torkornoo, stated that despite the achievements chalked, much remains to be done, hence the need for increased investment through a rise in budgetary allocation for the Judiciary.

Parts of her speech read: "As much as the Judiciary appreciates the level of investment being made in yhr physical structures of new courts, we have also taken steps to review all rules of court to enhance their operation and application in digital arenas.

"Your Excellency, it is clear to me as an active player in all the different facets of the reform initiatives we have referred to above, since I joined the Judiciary in 2004, that to speed up the efficiency and effectiveness of our systems, so much more is need for and from the Judiciary than determination and our vowed purpose.

"There is a need to expedite the National digitalization agenda to allow for easier networking of all stakeholders.

"There is a need to increase the budget of the Judiciary to allow us room to expand our infrastructure in the automation and digitalization agenda because undoubtedly, the efficiency of court processes and administration is assured with more deliberate use of technology."

According to the Chief Justice, only 26 per cent of courts are networked and only 12 per cent of courts have been brought into the bracket of full automation in the operation through digitalization of their processes.

Justice Gertrude Torkornoo lamented the laborious processes some courts in the country continue to practice despite the advancement of technology.

Bemoaning the relatively low acceptance of the digitalization drive in the judicial system, Justice Torkornoo revealed that just 62% of courts in the country use computers while tackling the issue of automation.

This implies that 48% of courts continue to use the” laborious inefficient models of taking evidence in manuscript, and managing administration.”

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has expressed his determination to continue being a dependable and trustworthy partner to the Judiciary.

“I want to assure Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo that just as I did with her predecessor, I will be a dependable and trustworthy partner of the judiciary,” he said.

The President noted that this would ensure that “the Executive and the Judiciary work together in the spirit of mutual respect to consolidate the tenets of good governance for the benefit of the Ghanaian people.”

Source: The Independent Ghana