Legal professionals in the Upper West Region have expressed severe frustration and dismay over the stalled construction of the region’s multi-million-cedi High Court complex, describing the abandoned site as a “cemetery” after nearly two decades of unfulfilled assurances .
The regional leadership of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and the Office of the Attorney General revealed that, despite multiple high-profile inspections and firm commitments from national authorities, the three-storey facility has once again been vacated by the contractor. This leaves the regional capital, Wa, without a single purpose-built modern courtroom to serve 11 districts .
During a visit to the site on Friday, September 4th, legal practitioners observed that the contractor had completely packed up equipment, leaving the gates open and installations exposed to potential theft and vandalism. Disturbingly, fresh paint applied less than three months ago was already peeling off the exterior walls, raising serious questions about the quality of workmanship .
“We Even Fear for Our Lives”
Chairman of the Ghana Bar Association in the Upper West Region, Siddique Ubeidu, voiced deep disappointment, recalling the timeline of neglected deadlines.
“You will recall that this work was started almost 20 years ago, and it has been one reason or excuse for another,” Ubeidu stated. He recounted that the GBA’s national executive committee visited on April 1st and received assurances of completion within three to four months. Subsequently, a delegation led by Supreme Court Justice Yonny Kulendi and directors from the Judicial Service promised the facility would be ready within two to three months .
“Here we are today, 4th September, and the place is a cemetery,” Ubeidu lamented. “What is even more worrying is that the paint done less than three months ago has started peeling off, pointing to the suspect quality of the work” .
Mr. Ubeidu also highlighted hazardous conditions inside the operational Wa Circuit Court, where justice delivery continues under appalling conditions.
“We feel very depressed and disappointed, and we even fear for our lives. You can see gaping, life-threatening cracks inside the judge’s chambers and the courtroom,” he said. He further noted that staff have no offices and are forced to compete with litigants for space, often eating their meals inside the courtroom .
“A National Embarrassment”
Principal State Attorney for the region, Saeed Abdul-Shakur, described the situation as a national embarrassment, questioning how a project of this size could remain unfinished for so long.
“It didn’t take China 20 years to build the Three Gorges Dam, nor Dubai 10 years to build the Burj Khalifa. Why is it taking a whole nation 20 years to set up just a three-storey building for a court complex?” Abdul-Shakur questioned .
He emphasized that courts are operating from colonial and temporary structures despite serving a vast area. “We cannot be delivering justice under trees,” he stated, noting that lawyers and litigants often travel from Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale to Wa for proceedings .
Acting Secretary of the regional GBA, Crispin Wura-Sey Ziekah, warned of a looming crisis. “Are we waiting for our courts to collapse before we complete this structure?” he asked. “At the District Court, a magistrate has to wait in his vehicle until proceedings are assembled before stepping inside” .
The lawyers have made a direct appeal to the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and the Minister for Justice to compel the contractor and consultants back to the site, stressing that the facility must be completed to avert a catastrophe in the region’s courtrooms .
Contractor Denies Abandonment
Meanwhile, the contractor, Project Seven Limited, has refuted claims of abandonment. A director of the company, Simon Sowah, told JoyNews that the company is owed substantial payment certificates by the Judicial Service and central government. He insisted that the company will return to the site once the government settles its indebtedness .
