Ministry of Justice has been allocated a total of 37.3 billion cedis for its activities this year.

The Judicial Service is also to receive 95.9 billion for its programmes in 2003, the Minister of Finance, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo said in the 2003 Financial Statement to Parliament.

He said over the period the Ministry would establish a Business Law Division to reform all laws, which impeded the establishment and growth of businesses.

In addition, the Ministry would recruit 30 more Attorneys to further improve the speedy adjudication of both civil and criminal cases and deepen the respect of human rights.

He said the mechanisation and installation of local area network to facilitate effective co-ordination and monitoring of activities would be implemented this year.

The Minister said the Registrar General's Department would install computers this year to facilitate the process of business registration and the search for information and registered businesses.

On the outlook for this year, Mr Osafo-Maafo said the automated court system would be extended to all regional capitals of the Country with two fully automated Courts each in Kumasi and Sekondi.

"In this connection the following training programmes will be organised - training in computer skills and case management for 50 judges and 184 supporting staff of the 10 High Courts in the regional capitals; and training of 120 supporting staff in computer skills in Records and Registry Management."

He noted that the introduction of court mechanisation and computerisation in the Juvenile and Family Tribunals in the regional capitals would continue this year.

He said the Supreme Court Library would be equipped with books and on-line services to improve research facilities and thus speed up the compilation of Judgments.

The refurbishment of 10 regional High Courts would also be completed and equipped with books to facilitate research.