Ho, Aug. 03, GNA - Mr Yaw Baah, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Justice has appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to assist improve the working environment in the Judicial Service.

"It is a pity that some assemblies have not offered any assistance to the Judiciary within their areas for three or more years," Mr Baah added.

Mr Baah made the appeal when members of the Committee met Judicial Service staff in Ho on Thursday as part of its four-day tour of Judicial Service institutions in the Volta Region.

He asked Parliamentarians to use part of their share of the Common Fund to address some of the basic problems facing the Service. Mr Baah, who is a Member of Parliament for Kumawu said the committee was working to ensure improvement conditions in the Service. He said, "It is a pity that unlike other institutions, the Judicial Service cannot access the HIPC funds to improve its facilities." Mr Ken Dzirasah, Member of Parliament for South Tongu said the Service, like other state institutions could not be financially independent.

He explained that all institutions of state including the legislature and the executive must act as checks on each other on matters of finance.

Mr Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central expressed the committee's appreciation for the serene atmosphere the meeting was held.

He said such interaction should not be used to express frustrations and grievances but proposals and suggestions that could address their problems.

Mr P.W.D Amedo, a Magistrate appealed to the committee to facilitate passage of a law to institutionalise community work as punishment for some offences to decongest the prisons. He said such community service could help improve sanitation in the communities.

Mr Moses Tamakloe, a High Court Registrar appealed to the committee to re-examine privatisation of the services of Bailiffs. He explained that bailiffs who worked privately were paid 40,000 cedis for documents served, while a bailiff in the public sector was paid 5,000 cedis for similar service.

Some of the concerns expressed by the staff included obsolete equipment including typewriters, denial of study leave to junior staff, lack of in-service training, low salaries and delay in refunding medical bills as long as two years.