“Regional Tribunals Are Constitutional Courts — Not Rogue Structures” — Dafeamekpor Defends Bill

Majority Chief Whip and South Dayi MP Rockson‑Nelson Dafeamekpor has mounted a strong defence of the reinstatement of regional tribunals, insisting their existence is constitutionally mandated and firmly rooted in Ghana’s judicial architecture.

Speaking on The Point of View on Monday, July 20, Mr Dafeamekpor dismissed claims that tribunals carry a tainted or controversial history, arguing that such assertions are misleading and ignore the clear provisions of the 1992 Constitution.

He pointed to Article 295(1), which defines a court to include tribunals established under constitutional authority.

“Let the fact be established that the reinstatement of the tribunal court system as part of our mainstream justice administration system is constitutionally mandated.”

According to him, regional tribunals are not separate or parallel structures, but simply another category of courts recognised by the Constitution.

“A tribunal is only a type of a court.”

He further cited Article 142(1), which provides for the establishment of regional tribunals, stressing that the provision is mandatory and cannot be ignored by any government.

“Anybody who swears to defend the Constitution and refuses to establish the regional tribunals is in breach of the Constitution.”

His defence comes amid heated debate following Parliament’s passage of the Tribunals Bill, which seeks to restore regional tribunals as part of Ghana’s justice system.

NPP flagbearer and former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has urged President John Dramani Mahama not to assent to the bill, calling for broader national consultations to avoid undermining public confidence in the judiciary.

But Dafeamekpor maintains that tribunals have always been part of Ghana’s legal history, handling serious criminal matters such as robbery, and serving as training grounds for judges who later rose to the mainstream courts.

He explained that although amendments to the Courts Act in 2002 removed some tribunals, regional tribunals remained intact because they were created directly by the Constitution.

He argued that the new bill is not introducing a novel judicial structure but rather restoring a constitutional component that had been sidelined.