Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo on Tuesday inaugurated a specialized court for small claims and debt recovery, aimed at expediting the resolution of financial disputes, especially credit recovery cases.
The initiative is on a pilot basis and will be conducted in 12 courts, eight in the Greater Accra Region and four in the Ashanti Region.
These courts will operate during weekday afternoons (2 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and on Saturdays (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), and are expected to handle over 50,000 cases filed for instance by Bills Micro-Credit Limited, formerly Quick Credit.
In the Greater Accra Region, Ashaiman, Teshie, Kasoa, and La District courts will serve as Saturday courts, while the Weija, Sowutuom, Adenta, Gbese, and District Court ‘2’ will operate in the afternoons on weekdays. In the Ashanti Region, Asokwa District Court ‘2’, District Court ‘1’, and the Prempeh Assembly Hall will be the Saturday courts, with Circuit Court ‘2’ at Asokwa and the Asokwa Circuit Court Conference Hall handling weekday afternoon cases.
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During the inauguration at the La District Court in Accra, the Chief Justice said the initiative had been inspired by the increasing caseload of small claims filed by Bills Micro-Credit Limited.
According to her, when the Judicial Service conducted its own findings, it found that small claims cases had spiked at many district courts, and particularly that over 70% of them were filed by Bills Micro-Credit Limited.
“The findings in the data were telling. In Adenta District Courts 1 & 2, the total active cases pending as of May 2024 stood at 773 cases. Out of this number, Quick Credit & Investment Micro-Credit Ltd 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,” she said.
Both the Judicial Service and Bills Micro-Credit Limited are betting on the launch of debt recovery courts to address these issues.
The chairman of the micro-credit institution, Richard Quaye was present at the event and said they are pleased with the proactive efforts to resolve financial disputes.
“This initiative not only underscores the proactive stance of the Judicial Service in addressing the needs of businesses like ours but also highlights the importance of a robust legal framework in fostering a healthy economic environment,” Quaye said.
