Togo: the towns of Kabou and Pagala have their houses of justice

Togo's local justice system continues to expand. Last November, the country inaugurated two new courthouses in Kabou (Bassar) and Pagala (Blitta).

These openings are part of a national effort to bring justice closer to citizens, particularly those living far from the courts. The new structures become operational following the installation ceremonies of the mediator-conciliators held on November 24 and 27.

Chaired by Kadanga Tchalim, Cabinet Director of the Ministry of Justice, the ceremonies highlighted the role of these structures in facilitating access to the law.

Created in 2018 by presidential decree, maisons de justice serve as intermediaries between traditional jurisdictions and the general public. They offer free mediation, conciliation and legal information services for minor disputes. Their mission includes settling neighborhood disputes, rent disputes, family or land matters, as well as providing guidance to users.

The results show a growing take-up. The number of referrals has risen from 3857 in 2022 to 5518 in 2024 in the 16 operational centers. The success rate for mediation-conciliation reached over 90% in the same year, compared with 85.8% in 2023, while debt recovery via these structures more than doubled over the period.

These new houses of justice are financed as part of a support program backed by the Togolese government and the World Bank. The authorities are calling on communities to take ownership of these structures and use them to settle their disputes peacefully and affordably.

While Togo currently has around twenty Maisons de Justice, the stated aim is to continue building up the national network to cover more communes.

Source: www.togofirst.com/