Attorney General introduces tribunal bill to revive public tribunals
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has laid the Tribunal Bill 2026 before Parliament to reintroduce public tribunals as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana's justice delivery system and improve access to justice.
If approved, the Bill will establish a reformed tribunal system to operate alongside the conventional courts, backed by constitutional provisions, institutional oversight and safeguards to protect due process and fundamental human rights.
The proposed legislation seeks to give effect to Article 126 of the 1992 Constitution, which provides for the establishment of tribunals within Ghana's judicial system but has remained largely inactive in recent years.
According to Dr Ayine, the reforms are aimed at addressing deficiencies in the existing legal framework, easing the growing backlog of court cases and widening access to justice while promoting greater citizen participation in the adjudication process.
The Bill proposes a two tier tribunal structure comprising Regional Tribunals and District Tribunals, both of which will operate as part of the judiciary under the supervision of the Judicial Council and a proposed Tribunal Oversight Committee.
Under the proposed law, Regional Tribunals will exercise concurrent original jurisdiction with the High Court over selected criminal offences, including economic crimes, narcotics offences, tax offences, customs related offences and cases involving the loss of state funds or public property.
District Tribunals will also share jurisdiction with the Circuit Courts in specified criminal matters, although offences such as treason, capital offences and cases that must be tried on indictment will remain outside their jurisdiction.
The Bill expressly excludes matters involving constitutional interpretation under Article 130, cases concerning the enforcement of fundamental human rights and any other matters specifically excluded by law.
It also sets out the guiding principles that will govern tribunal proceedings, including fairness, transparency, efficiency, independence and respect for fundamental human rights. Decisions of the tribunals will be subject to appeal through the established judicial process.
In addition, the legislation outlines governance arrangements covering the appointment, discipline, retirement and removal of tribunal members, as well as a code of conduct to regulate their work.
Dr Ayine said the reforms are intended to address concerns associated with the country's previous public tribunal system by creating a modern institution firmly grounded in constitutional safeguards and due process.
The Tribunal Bill 2026 has undergone its first reading in Parliament and has been referred to the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee for further consideration. The Attorney General met with the joint committees last week to discuss the proposed legislation.