The Attorney General’s Department will file papers for a review of the Supreme Court ruling which declared the establishment of fast track courts illegal. The ruling upheld a challenge by the former Ghana National Petroleum Corporation Boss, Tsatsu Tsikata, who argued that the Fast Track Courts are unconstitutional. Addressing a hurriedly arranged press conference in Accra a few hours after the Supreme Court ruling, Attorney General Nana Akuffo-Addo said the papers for the review would be filed as soon as possible. “I don’t believe what has happened is an occasion for any sort of panic, for anxiety or controversy. The courts are doing their work and they are the proper people to handle these matters. No constitutional crisis arises as a result of what happened at the Supreme Court this morning.”

According to Nana Addo, the fast track courts have been in existence for about a year and it is therefore important that a “final and authoritative pronouncement” is made by the Supreme Court.

He also explained the rationale behind the press conference. “I don’t want to give the impression that there is something untoward, the government is extremely upset or whatever. I thought that we should meet as quickly as possible so that everybody’s mind is put to rest in these proceedings.”

According to the Attorney General, “it is important that we remember that these courts are not the creation of the NPP government. The process for establishing these courts began well within the NDC era, I inherited the process and the courts themselves were established by the Chief Justice and the judiciary. I am however satisfied about the legality of their operations.”