Nana Ato Dadzie backs return of Public Tribunals

Former Chief of Staff Nana Ato Dadzie has thrown his support behind plans to reintroduce Public Tribunals, describing the move as a practical way to deepen public participation in the administration of justice.

According to him, involving ordinary citizens in the justice delivery system would complement the work of the conventional courts while reflecting Ghana's long-standing tradition of resolving disputes through community-based structures.

"I'm not surprised that new legislation seeks to reintroduce the Public Tribunal system. I think it makes a lot of sense to have the public involved in the administration of justice," he said.

Nana Dadzie made the remarks last Wednesday at the third edition of the "Time with the Politician" forum held in Accra.

The interactive event, organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Ghana in collaboration with the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana, brought together students and experienced political leaders to discuss governance, public leadership and national development.

A lawyer who served under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), Nana Dadzie explained that the former Public Tribunals applied the same laws as the regular courts but differed by incorporating non-lawyers into the adjudication process.

He challenged the view that justice should be administered exclusively by legal professionals, noting that many disputes across the country are successfully resolved by family heads, chiefs and traditional authorities outside the formal court system.

According to him, Ghana's justice system should build on these existing community-based mechanisms rather than disregard them.

While acknowledging criticisms levelled against the previous Public Tribunal system, he argued that its shortcomings should be addressed through reforms instead of abandoning the concept entirely.

On constitutional reforms, Nana Dadzie also endorsed proposals to extend the presidential term of office from four to five years, saying a longer tenure would allow governments sufficient time to implement their development agenda.

He maintained that four years is inadequate for any administration to achieve significant national transformation, considering the time required to constitute a government after elections.

"You need at least six months to form a government," he stated.

The former Chief of Staff further advocated a greater role for traditional authorities in maintaining law and order, particularly in tackling illegal mining.

He argued that chiefs and landowners are better positioned than security agencies to identify and prevent unlawful activities within their communities.

"The administration of justice should be spread out. We shouldn't exclude them," he said.

Speaking at the event, the Country Representative of KAS Ghana, Anna Lena Sabroso-Wasserfall, encouraged students to actively engage with the speakers and draw lessons from their practical experiences in public service.

She said the forum was designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world political leadership while inspiring students to pursue careers in public service and national development.