Supreme Court nominee Justice Philip Bright Mensah has underscored the urgent need to improve conditions of service for judges at the lower courts, describing it as essential to addressing the shortage of judicial officers in rural communities.
Speaking during his vetting by Parliament's Appointments Committee on June 17, 2025, Justice Mensah noted that many lawyers shy away from lower court appointments due to unattractive working conditions, despite the fact that most of the country's judicial work begins at that level. "I think the solution to the problem of insufficient judges in rural areas is that the conditions of service, particularly at the lower courts, must be attractive," he stated.
He explained that although lawyers often aspire to positions in the superior courts, access to justice for many Ghanaians begins at the lower court level, especially in remote areas. "Indeed, when you talk about access to justice and quality justice, for that matter, it starts from the lower courts.
So, to attract lawyers to serve as judges in those courts, the conditions of service must be very, very attractive," he emphasised.
