Business News of Wednesday, 10 April 2024

Source: thebftonline.com

Digitalisation crucial to continuing advancement of justice system – Veep

Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has underscored the indispensability of digitalisation in the advancement of Ghana’s justice system.

Dr. Bawumia spoke at the launch of ‘LEADing Justice’, which stands for the Chief Justice’s vision framework, presented by Her Ladyship Justice Margaret Torkonoo in Accra.

He mentioned that digitalisation, which is a crucial component of the framework, along with other factors, would play a significant role in realising the Chief Justice’s vision and transforming Ghana’s justice delivery system.

“As we have learnt today, the vision of the Honourable Lady Chief Justice hinges on the fundamental pillars of law, ethics, assets management, due process digitalisation, a trajectory I am profoundly interested in and committed to, and the preservation of due process – all of which are crucial for the continuing advancement of our justice system,” Dr. Bawumia remarked.

He lauded the integration of digitalisation into the strategic vision, referencing previous successful initiatives such as the Electronic Case Tracking System and the e-justice system. These initiatives have showcased positive changes in the administration of justice, according to Dr. Bawumia.

Expressing admiration for the Chief Justice’s commitment to enhancing justice administration, Dr. Bawumia urged all stakeholders to rally behind the LEADing initiative.

“There can be no escaping the fact that the duty of the Judiciary and the Judicial Service is to bring justice closer to the people of Ghana by employing the tools and strategies that will make it much more comfortable for them to access and utilise instruments of justice,” he emphasised.

Dr. Bawumia commended the Chief Justice for infusing new energy into the administration of justice and expressed optimism about the blueprint outlined in the LEADing framework.

“Let me use this opportunity to encourage all the key players in the justice delivery value chain and, indeed, all of us gathered here today to give every support that we can to support this vision of the Chief Justice; so it can deliver on its goals and target to the benefit of our country,” he urged.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to supporting the Judicial Service, Dr. Bawumia pledged continued investment in court infrastructure, residential accommodation for judges and magistrates, and the overall enhancement of human resources within the institution.

“As a government, we shall continue to do more for the Judicial Service to ramp up the e-Justice system to other levels of court beyond the High Courts in Accra,” he affirmed, adding: “We shall continue to invest in court infrastructure, residential accommodation for judges and magistrates and the general re-tooling of the human resources of the institution to improve justice delivery. It is in our interest as a country to do so”.