Paralegals & Legal Secretaries

Chief Justice Suggests Paralegal Courses for Staff

By ParalegalGateway.com

Ho, Jan. 12 GNA- Mrs. Justice Georgina Wood, Chief Justice has called on legal brains and education planners to develop a middle-level paralegal course for ancillary staff of the Judicial Service to help improve the country's justice system.

She said a good insight of work, procedures, and sense of mission by staff of the service were necessary in facilitating work at the courts towards making the country's Judiciary one of the best in the sub-region. Mrs. Justice Wood was addressing, Judges, Magistrates and other staff of the Judicial Service in the Volta Region during a familiarization tour of the courts in Ho on Friday.

Members of the Volta Regional Bar Association also attended the meeting. Mrs. Justice Wood said justice, like food, water and shelter was an important human need that society must crave to provide for its people. She said efforts by her administration to improve services and access to justice by all, had no room for workers who would not conform to "simple rules" that ensured efficiency.

The Chief Justice also announced the appointment of 11 Appeal Court Judges with oversight responsibilities for the regions to make the procedures and strategies of the administration of Justice in the country work well.

Introducing Justice Joseph Akamba as her Representative in the Volta Region, she said, his work was not to supplant that of the Regional Supervising High Court Judge nor was he a spy of the Chief Justice's office.

Mrs. Justice Wood commended the Judges and Magistrates in the region, some of whom were presiding over more that one court, for their hard work. She said the exploit of some of them who crossed rivers, and traversed miles of bad road to sit over cases, were "heroic feats" that must be mentioned.

Mrs Justice Wood promised to pursue and bring to fruition the vision of her immediate predecessor Justice George Acquah, to build a credible justice system to boost good governance in the country.

She advised Judges, Magistrates, other staff and members of the bar to learn to be computer literate to be able to take advantage of the vast research capabilities, including library services available on line. Mr Justice Gibson Adzagli, Volta Regional Supervising High Court Judge in a briefing said there was the urgent need to improve court infrastructure in the region where some courts now keep their files in the open. He also called for ICT training for Judges and Magistrates to make the administration of Justice more efficient.

Mr Saviour Dzikunu, President of the Volta Regional Bar Association complained about delays by the Head office of the Judicial Service to petitions from litigants.

Delays in promotions, upgrading on acquisition of additional qualifications and lack of computers were some of the concerns raised by staff during an open forum. (Source)

Full post as published by ParalegalGateway Blawg on January 14, 2008 (boomark / email).