Ghana’s Superior Courts carrying nearly 30,000 pending cases — Justice Kulendi
Justice Kulendi made the disclosure during a lecture at the University of Ghana School of Law, where he appeared as a Distinguished Alumnus.
Supreme Court Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi has urged law students to prepare for a legal system under pressure, revealing that Ghana’s Superior Courts are currently dealing with 29,498 pending cases.
He said the figure reflects the heavy responsibility carried by the judiciary and the need for continued reforms in case management, judicial appointments and court technology.
Justice Kulendi made the disclosure during a lecture at the University of Ghana School of Law, where he appeared as a Distinguished Alumnus.
He told the students that the backlog should not be seen simply as a sign of failure, but as evidence of the complexity of justice delivery in a growing constitutional democracy.
According to figures he presented, the Superior Courts received 4,347 new cases between October 2025 and March 2026.
During the same period, 4,305 cases were concluded.
The High Court remains the busiest level of the Superior Courts.
Justice Kulendi said it received 2,854 new cases and disposed of 2,860 within the period, but still has 24,543 pending cases.
That represents more than 83 per cent of all pending matters before the Superior Courts.
He described the High Court as “the engine room of Ghana’s judicial system.”
For him, the fact that the High Court disposed of slightly more cases than it received suggests that improvements in case management and the use of technology are beginning to have some effect.
The Court of Appeal, he said, received 1,214 appeals and concluded 1,195 cases, leaving 4,501 pending matters.
At the Supreme Court, 279 new cases were filed, while 250 were disposed of, with 454 cases still pending.
Justice Kulendi said Ghana’s 221 Superior Court judges are carrying the responsibility for the nearly 30,000 pending cases.
The number comprises 142 High Court judges, 61 Court of Appeal judges and 18 Supreme Court justices.
He called for the appointment of more judges, stronger case management systems and sustained investment in court technology to improve the speed and efficiency of justice delivery.
Beyond the data, Justice Kulendi used the lecture to reflect on his own journey through the legal profession.
Returning to his alma mater, he described the occasion as “a singular privilege” and said his years as a law student helped shape the values that guided his career.
He reminded the students that before becoming a judge, he was first a student who learnt that the law demands hard work, focus, integrity and intellectual honesty.
Justice Kulendi also shared what he called his “Wa boy” story, recounting his journey from the Upper West Region to the Supreme Court.
He is the first person from the region to serve as a Justice of Ghana’s apex court.
He encouraged the students to pursue excellence with integrity and resilience, saying the legal system they will inherit may be imperfect, but every generation has a duty to improve it.
Justice Kulendi shared the platform with fellow Supreme Court Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei as part of the University of Ghana School of Law’s “Conversations and Cocktail” series.
