The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Torkonoo, has inaugurated 12 special courts dedicated to handling small claims and debt recovery cases.
Eight of these courts are located in the Greater Accra Region, while the remaining four are situated in the Ashanti Region.
The establishment of these courts follows a notable increase in small claims cases filed at district courts across Ghana, largely attributed to the company Bills MicroCredit.
Justice Esaaba Torkonoo highlighted that data revealed over 70% of the cases filed by Bills MicroCredit were for claims under GHC 5,000.
This surge in cases has overwhelmed district courts, undermining the court shift system implemented by the Judicial Service.
In response, the Judicial Service, with support from Bills MicroCredit, established these specialized courts to manage the caseload effectively. The new courts will operate every working day in the afternoons and on Saturdays.
For the Greater Accra Region, the courts at Ashaiman, Teshie, Kasoa, and La will function as Saturday courts.
Meanwhile, the courts at Weija, Sowutuom, Adenta (District Court ‘2’), and Gbese will operate during weekday afternoons.
During the inauguration, Chief Justice Torkonoo expressed her gratitude to Bills MicroCredit for their support in establishing these courts.
Richard Quaye, the CEO of Bills MicroCredit, noted that these courts would significantly benefit their business, as the company has filed 30,000 cases nationwide.
He emphasized that the high volume of defaulters necessitated the use of the courts for recovery, and the new Small Claims Courts would help expedite hearings and alleviate the burden on the judicial system.
