A Citizen Monitoring Group (CMG) in Tamale has undergone a one-day training for a supervisory role in implementing the Case Tracking System under the Justice Sector Support Activity (JSSA).
The electronic Case Tracking System (CTS) collects, collates, and harmonizes data from the time of the arrest of a suspect to the time judgment is delivered.
It keeps a public record of police cases.
The one-day training was to prepare the group to sensitize members of their community about the essence of the CTS.
A representative from the Nanumba District, Mohammed Haki, who spoke on behalf of the group, expressed his gratitude to the organizers.
“I am particularly excited just like my colleagues to be part of this training exercise,” he added.
He appealed to the implementing partners to provide them with the necessary logistics and incentives to seamlessly carry out their mandate.
“… but I would like to request that the organizers provide us identification cards and the needed logistics to help us get attention when we visit the various tracking centres in our district,” he appealed.
According to the Rule of law Specialist of the JSSA, Enoch Jengre, the group’s formation will ensure that the prosecution of criminal cases is fast-tracked.
He said the monitoring role of the group would ensure that people’s rights are not violated.
“You will be provided with all the necessary equipment to facilitate our obligation,” he assured.
He stressed that the members of the group are focal persons of the JSSA in their respective districts where the project is being rolled out, and their role will enable citizens to track and monitor cases that are recorded at the various police stations in the region to ensure that breaches in justice delivery are curtailed.
The group constitutes the first batch of CMGs formed across the targeted seven regions.
Similar training has been held in the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga.
What is the CMG group?
These are members drawn from Civil Society Organizations within the districts to monitor the implementation of the Case Tracking System
What is the Case Tracking System
Ghana’s criminal justice delivery faces many challenges.
Cases are not handled promptly, and a lack of communication within the justice sector has weakened efficiency and effectiveness during criminal prosecutions.
The USAID funded the CTS project in partnership with Crime Check Foundation, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, and other CSOs.
The CTS project will be implemented in forty (40) districts in seven (7) regions; Western, Greater Accra, Northern, Bono, Upper East, Ashanti, and Volta.
Logistics after the training are needed to do the job
The CMG will need the necessary logistics to do their job