Lawyers, prosecutors fume over abandoned 26-year-old Upper West High court project

Legal professionals and prosecutors in Ghana's Upper West Region are furious over the stalled construction of a multi-million cedi regional High Court complex, which has remained abandoned for two decades. The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and the Office of the Attorney General confirmed that the three-storey court structure, despite high-profile inspections and commitments from national delegations, has yet to be completed.

Visiting the deserted site, legal practitioners expressed dismay at the equipment being packed off, gates left open, and exposed fittings vulnerable to theft. The project's chairman, Siddique Ubeidu, warned that members fear for their lives daily due to the worsening decay of makeshift buildings currently housing justice delivery.

Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo had threatened to shut down the court due to its state, yet no action was taken. The Principal State Attorney, Saeed Abdul-Shakur, expressed concern that the region serves 11 districts, yet the High Court, District Court, and Circuit Court all operate out of colonial and temporary makeshift structures.

Acting Secretary of the GBA in the Upper West Region, Crispin Wura-Sey Ziekah, questioned why the nation is taking 20 years to build a three-storey court complex, likening it to the relatively short construction times of major global projects. The contractor, Project Seven Limited, has denied abandonment, stating that they have unpaid certificates pending with the Judicial Service and central government and will return once the government settles their debts.