Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo has inaugurated 12 specialized courts focused on small claims and debt recovery. Eight of these courts are located in the Greater Accra Region, and four are in the Ashanti Region.
The creation of these courts follows a significant increase in small claims cases filed at district courts in Ghana, largely driven by filings from a single company, Bills MicroCredit. Justice Esaaba Torkonoo noted at the inauguration that over 70% of the claims filed by Bills MicroCredit were for amounts less than GHC 5,000.
This surge in cases had overwhelmed the district courts, undermining the court shift system introduced by the Judicial Service. To address this issue, the Judicial Service, with support from Bills MicroCredit, established these specialized courts.
These courts will operate every weekday afternoon and on Saturdays. In the Greater Accra Region, the District Courts in Ashaiman, Teshie, Kasoa, and La will operate on Saturdays, while the District Courts in Weija, Sowutuom, Adenta (Court ‘2’), and Gbese will function on weekday afternoons.
Chief Justice Torkonoo expressed gratitude to Bills MicroCredit for their support in establishing the 12 courts. Richard Quaye, CEO of Bills MicroCredit, highlighted the importance of these courts for their business, noting that the company has filed 30,000 cases nationwide.
Quaye remarked, “One significant challenge we have faced is the sheer volume of defaulters, leading us to resort to the courts for recovery. The establishment of the new Small Claims Court will greatly alleviate the burden on our judicial system, ensuring that cases are resolved more quickly and efficiently.”