The New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has rejected the decision to bring back public tribunals as a way of reducing congestion in Ghana’s courts. He believes the country should improve the current judicial system instead of creating a separate one.
Speaking during a national address on Sunday, July 19, after Parliament passed the Tribunals Bill, Dr. Bawumia appealed to President John Dramani Mahama not to sign the bill into law.
He urged the President to consider Ghana’s past experience with public tribunals before giving the legislation presidential assent.
Dr. Bawumia acknowledged that the country’s courts face serious challenges, including delays in handling cases and a growing backlog. However, he argued that introducing another justice system would not solve those problems.
Instead, he called for reforms that would make the existing courts more efficient, improve their capacity and increase access to justice for all Ghanaians. He warned that setting up a parallel system could raise public concerns.
“Reflect on the historical antecedents of the public tribunals system. Under this bill, panels that include persons who are not lawyers may sit in judgement over criminal matters. Ghanaians remember tribunals and we remember what was done in their names.
“Our courts are congested but the answer to congested courts is to strengthen the courts, more judges, more courtrooms and digitised processes. It is not to build a second system of justice.”
