The Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, His Lordship, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah on Tuesday, 7th March, 2023 commissioned a new High Court in Somanya (the Municipal capital of Yilo Krobo) to enhance the justice delivery system. The inauguration was graced by Hon. Eric Tetteh, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly and the Divisional Chief of Nyeweh-Kplade, Nene Amoatey Akpatsu Azza VI who represented the Kono of the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, Oklepeme Nuer Anorbaa Sasraku II.
In his welcome address, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Eric Tetteh who gave a brief historical background of the geographical enclave of the Municipality established on 6th February 2012 by Legislative Instrument (LI) 2051 which stretched about 805 square kilometres and has 44 electoral areas with one Constituency and a Paramountcy, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the government of Ghana for making funds available through the District
Assembly Common Fund for the construction and completion of the Somanya High Court. The MCE thanked the Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, for gracing the occasion and making the judicial system more accessible through construction of more courts across the country to relieve pressure that mounts on existing ones.
Nene Amoatey Akpatsu Azza VI on behalf of the Kono commended the President of the Republic for successful completion of the court as the construction of the court started several years ago but stalled due to financial constraints and added, that the court would save time, resources and speed adjudication of cases as litigants within its jurisdiction would no longer have to travel to Koforidua to seek justice.
His Lordship, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah accompanied by other judges of the superior courts was delighted to have inaugurated the court which he said was among over 150 court houses and residential accommodations the President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised to build for the judicial system to address the deplorable state of some Court houses to efficiently and effectively serve the judicial system. Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah commended the President of the Republic for his kind consideration in addressing the infrastructural challenges in the judicial system. He also commended the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development and the District Assembly Common Fund for the support that saw to the completion of the Court house.
Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah advised the judge and the staff of the judicial service to fairly serve the people of the Yilo Krobo Municipality with the resources available at their disposal and also admonished them to eschew attitudes that are inimical to the promotion of justice delivery in the community, and as well advised the members of the community present who have cases in the court to desist from influencing the judge and judicial staff for justice to tilt in their favour.
His Lordship, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah also recommended out of court settlement before the ‘nananom’ in matters that they have jurisdiction over rather than the court rule trials as the best alternative way of settling dispute as this does not only promotes better relationship but less expensive, and further stressed on the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for civil and relatively minor criminal cases that fall within the jurisdiction of ADR; this he said also helps in addressing and reducing the backlog cases in the court.