The Chief Justice (CJ), Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood, on Monday inaugurated the nation’s third Court of Appeal in Cape Coast.

The newly inaugurated court which would sit for a week once in every month, would serve both the Central and Western Regions.

The Chief Justice noted that access to justice implied among other things that the citizens do not travel several kilometres in order to have their disputes resolved in accordance with law

She was confident that the establishment of the new court would reduce the travel time for litigants in the Central and Western Regions who hitherto had to travel to Accra to have their appeals disposed off.

According to her, available records indicate that a large number of cases are pending from the Western and Central Regions in the Accra Court of Appeal and this has necessitated the establishment of a Court of Appeal in the Western corridor of the country.

She said with the discovery of crude oil in the Western Region and the ancillary businesses that have emerged as a result, it was anticipated that the courts would witness an upsurge in the number of commercial, land and labour cases.

Mrs. Justice Wood was of the hope that the new Court of Appeal would expeditiously dispose of those appeals arising from business and commercial transactions so as to enhance the general business climate and the image of the country as a credible investment destination.

She entreated all stakeholders and users of the facility to co-operate fully with the Court to justify the investment made in establishing it.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Martin Amidu noted that Government was determined to cooperate with the Judiciary and the Ghana Bar Association to meet the expectations of the people for expeditious and transparent justice to the litigant public.

He said the Attorney-General’s Department would play its role of ensuring that a sufficient number of Attorneys are posted to service the courts in the two regions.

He called on lawyers in private practice to endeavour to render services to the indigent and the vulnerable in the society as part of their duty to defend the poor as well as promoting justice in the society.

The Central Regional Minister, Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe expressed gratitude for the new court, saying it would save cost and time as well as bring justice to the door steps of all.