The National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP) is to implement a carefully prepared action plan on training career development and skills utilization and retention for both management and technical skills within the judicial Service.

The exercise, which is aimed at modernising the judiciary include the design, installation, maintenance and renewal of the processes and procedures and also operationalisation of effective structures within the service.

Dr Appiah Koranteng, National Coordinator of NIRP said this at the launch of the Chief Justices public forum on automation reform and modernisation of the Judicial Service.

He said the implementation of the governance programme faced a lot of setbacks in the past because some people said it was too ambitious, however with time it has received tremendous support from donors and other stakeholders including civil society.

Dr Koranteng said the donor co-ordination meetings also continued to harmonise technical assistance and funding support to the judiciary, which culminated in the introduction of the information technology infrastructure network project.

Other areas that are being reformed to give support to the re-invention of the judiciary are management information systems, human and financial resource management, records and facilities management system and re-engineering and computerisation of court proceedings as well as the court system.

Dr Koranteng said the deliverables of the project would also cover both Intranet and Internet facilities.

"If we are able to accomplish quickly the court renewal programme, the cumulative improvement would be tremendous and the impact on governance, on investment and the business sector on the ordinary citizen of this country would be great".

Dr Koranteng said the NIRP is fully committed to the programme and believe that this would provide strong support to the government's good governance policies and principles on the rule of law, transparency and accountability and zero tolerance for corruption.

He said "there is the need for all to improve the co-ordination of our efforts at the technical, policy and funding levels and to optimise our energies if we have to achieve accelerated modernisation targets set for ourselves".

Dr Koranteng said after a demonstration of the equipment to some judges and selected staff of the judiciary, it was clear that the project objectives would be achieved.

The project would be able to improve the framework for delivery of efficient, expeditious and cost-effective services such as the impact the Fast Track Court is making today and to increase access to justice for all especially the poor.

He said the project would also generate and sustain public confidence and credibility of the judiciary through programmes that would enhance its independence and impartiality and remove the systemic bottlenecks and causes of delay through accelerated reviews including rules of procedure, and processes