Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has recognised housing as one of the most urgent issues facing the judiciary.
During his address at the annual general meeting of the Judicial Service Staff Co-operative Union, he pointed out that numerous judicial officers and staff find it challenging to obtain affordable housing, with some even compelled to rent properties owned by individuals who have ongoing cases in the courts.
He stated that this predicament hampers the effective execution of judicial responsibilities.
“You will notice that in many instances when courts are constructed, they also build residences for the judges or magistrates, neglecting the fact that, in addition to the judge or magistrate, there will be over 20 other personnel working there.
“As a result, registrars and court clerks are assigned to locations where they cannot even find suitable accommodation. They reside in properties owned by individuals who ultimately become litigants in their courts, creating a very challenging situation,” he remarked.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie thus praised JUSAG for securing 2,000 acres of land at Kordiabe in the Shai Osudoku District for the Judicial City Estates initiative.
“This project directly addresses one of my primary concerns — the welfare of staff and judicial officers. Access to affordable housing is a basic necessity, and the initiative to assist members with land is genuinely commendable,” he expressed.
