The Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho is said to have apologised for the decision by the Rules of Court Committee to increase legal fees without due consultation of stakeholders

The Speaker gave the apology during a meeting with Council members of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA)

The president of GBA Nene Abayaateye Amegatcher led the council members to the Speaker of Parliament in a desperate move to have recent increment of court fees reviewed.

Mr Amegatcher was concerned the recent increases would have dire consequences on the legal process in the country.

Per the new increases announced, filing a notice of appeal against a final judgment or decision at the Court of Appeals, for instance, will now cost GHC 100 from GHC25.

The cost of filing amendment or additional grounds of appeal was also increased from GHC25 to GHC 100. Fees for filing motion to set aside and re-hear appeal determined ex parte was increased from GHC30 to GHC300.

At the Supreme Court, a petition to challenge election of president jumped from GHC500 to GHC5,000; service document which use to cost GHC50 will now attract a fee of GHC200; writ to invoke original jurisdiction is now GHC 300 from GHC50; filing of statement of case has also been increased from GHC25 to GHC300; and a search at the Supreme Court which used to cost GHC5 will now attract a fee of GHC50.

These increases have widely been criticised as astronomical.

Sources have told Myjoyonline.com some lawyers are heading to the courts to challenge the increases.

But even before the legal action will be activated the GBA has taken steps by lobbying Parliament to have the fees reviewed, Myjoyonline.com has learnt.

In a meeting with the Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho, the GBA president Nene Amegatcher said the fees if not reviewed could discourage people especially the poor from accessing justice at the court.

The Speaker admitted and apologised to the stakeholders for not consulting them before the new fees were implemented and assured such a mistake would not be repeated.

Myjoyonline.com sources say there are moves to revise the astronomical fees following the agitations and criticisms that the poor will be priced out on justice delivery.