Chief Justice launches specialized courts to expedite small claims and debt recovery
Twelve courts comprising eight in the Greater Accra and four in the Ashanti regions are set to benefit from small claims and debt recovery courts as part of efforts to adjudicate claims from financial institutions.
The Chief Justice, Gertrude Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo on Tuesday, August 6 launched the specialized courts after concerns were raised about the significant rise in the number of claims made by individuals and companies at the district courts across the country.
In its assessment of the caseload in the legal year, the Quality Assurance Unit and the Monitoring Department of the Judicial Service after sampling seven district courts in Accra found that there were 773 active cases in Adenta District Courts 1&2, as of May, 2024.
According to her, Quick Credit & Investment Micro-Credit Ltd (Now Bills Company Limited) alone had filed a total of 120 cases representing approximately 15% of the total active cases pending in the court. The data further revealed that over 70% of the total cases filed by Quick Credit & Investment Micro-Credit Ltd were for claims less than GH₵5000,”
The specialized courts, she intimated, will hear cases every working day in the afternoons and on Saturdays.
“The courts will sit from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm on working days and 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays.
