The Judicial Service has handed over a five- storey block of executive flats for 10 High Court Judges at Roman Ridge in Accra at a cost of GH₵ 8 million.
Judges in Ghana are supposed to be allocated fully furnished residential accommodation as part of their conditions of service.
However, the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood speaking during the handing over ceremony complained that provision of accommodation to judges continues to remain a setback to the Judicial Service.
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She said the engagement of more judges by the judicial service as part of its reforms had resulted in the increase in the number of judges who are expected to be given accommodation by the state.
According to her, “Only 69 out of 143 superior court judges had been provided with official accommodation, resulting in a deficit of 74 judges without official accommodation and led to a deficit.”
She said even though the contract for bungalows was awarded in December 2010, “Sadly, the construction came to a standstill in 2013 as a result of funding constraints from the government.”
She, however, recalled that at the end of September 2013, three out of six units’ four bedroom flats were completed at East Ridge out of the internally generated fund, and three Court of Appeal judges occupied them.
“The second phase, involving the construction of three two-storey is in progress and expected to be completed in 2017.
“However, the construction of four two-bedroom bungalows at Danyame, Kumasi, for Court of Appeal Judges has come to a standstill due to funding challenges,” the Chief Justice said.
She still hoped that “our noble justices and their families who occupy this facility enjoy this facility.”