Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo has inaugurated 12 special courts dedicated to handling small claims and debt recovery cases in Ghana.
Eight of these courts are located in the Greater Accra Region, while the remaining four are situated in the Ashanti Region.
The initiative comes in response to a surge in small claims cases at the district courts, particularly those filed by Bills MicroCredit.
Justice Torkonoo highlighted that over 70% of Bills MicroCredit’s filings involved claims of less than GHC 5,000, exacerbating the workload of the already overwhelmed district courts.
“The data further revealed that over 70% of the total cases filed by Bills MicroCredit were for claims less than GHC 5,000,” she noted during the opening ceremony.
This spike in cases has undermined the court shift system introduced by the Judicial Service, necessitating the creation of these specialized courts.
With support from Bills MicroCredit, the Judicial Service aims to alleviate the backlog and expedite the resolution of these cases.
The newly established courts will operate every weekday afternoon and on Saturdays.
In Greater Accra, the District Courts in Ashaiman, Teshie, Kasoa, and La will function on Saturdays, while those in Weija, Sowutuom, Adenta, and Gbese will operate on weekday afternoons. Chief Justice Torkonoo expressed gratitude to Bills MicroCredit for their support.
Richard Quaye, CEO of Bills MicroCredit, emphasized that the new courts would significantly benefit their business, noting that they have filed 30,000 cases nationwide so far.
