The Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has unveiled a new shift court system that will involve morning and afternoon court sessions. This initiative aims to address the pressing issue of congestion within the country’s courts and alleviate the strains on the prison system caused by overcrowding. By introducing additional sittings, the goal is to improve the efficiency of case disposal rates, which currently suffer from delays, particularly affecting remand prisoners whose cases are prolonged due to backlogs in the legal process.

During his visit to the Ghana Prisons Service headquarters in Accra, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie emphasized the correlation between congested courts and overcrowded prisons. He noted that many individuals awaiting trial remain in detention for extended periods, which exacerbates the overall strain on the prison facilities. The shift system, which will complement existing Saturday courts, is seen as a critical step in ensuring that justice is served more timely and efficiently.

The Chief Justice's announcement comes at a crucial time when the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified challenges within the legal and correctional systems. With a growing awareness of human rights and the psychological effects of long detention periods, the shift system represents a proactive strategy aimed at reforming the judicial process and improving conditions for both the court system and prison environment in Ghana.