Legal vacation does not halt urgent court cases – Chief Justice

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has clarified that the judiciary's legal vacation does not interrupt court proceedings, ensuring urgent cases will still be heard. This arrangement allows judges to take their annual leave while still addressing matters requiring immediate attention. Justice Baffoe-Bonnie made this clarification during a visit to the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) in Accra, explaining that designated vacation judges remain available to handle emergency processes from courts on leave.

He emphasized that this system allows all emergency cases from Court One to be handled by Court Two judges, who are not on vacation. Lawyers with scheduled cases during the legal vacation are advised to request adjournments through the courts, as they would in normal periods. The Chief Justice also mentioned that the judiciary is reviewing its rules to reduce procedural delays.

On illegal mining, he highlighted the judiciary's role in understanding the issue's broader impacts and noted the establishment of specialized courts to expedite the handling of such cases. MIIF's CEO, Mrs. Justina Nelson, reported a 5.4% increase in royalty collections in 2025 compared to 2024, with projected income of about GH¢9 billion by year-end.

Mr. Richard Kwame Asante, MIIF's Board Chairman, welcomed the creation of specialized courts to manage illegal mining cases and praised MIIF's commitment to transparency, accountability, and professionalism.