Parliament passes Tribunals Bill 2026 despite oppositions

Parliament has passed the Tribunals Bill, 2026, despite opposition from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and a boycott by the Minority caucus.

The legislation establishes a legal framework for the creation, jurisdiction, composition and operation of tribunals in line with the 1992 Constitution.

It also provides for the establishment of a Tribunal Oversight Committee to supervise their operations.

The Bill, presented on June 26 by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, on behalf of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, seeks to improve access to justice, strengthen due process and speed up the resolution of specialised cases.

Moving the motion for the Bill’s third reading, Dr Ayine asked Parliament to waive the Standing Orders requiring a one-day interval between the consideration stage and third reading.

“May I move that, notwithstanding the provision in Order 172… the motion for the third reading of the Tribunals Bill, 2026 may be moved today,” he told the House.

Parliament subsequently approved the Bill after the third reading, completing the legislative process before it is forwarded to President John Dramani Mahama for assent.

Dr Ayine said the tribunals had become necessary to address the growing backlog of cases in the courts, which he said increases by about 3,360 cases every year.

“The establishment of the tribunals would help reduce this burden and ensure the expeditious disposal of cases,” he said.

The passage of the Bill followed heated debate, particularly over Clause 4, which the Minority sought to remove, arguing that it would create confusion within Ghana’s judicial system.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin maintained that the country’s existing courts should instead be reformed and adequately resourced.

“If there are issues with the system, the way to go is to reform, resource, equip and retool but not to create a parallel system with coordinate jurisdiction,” he argued.

His proposal to delete Clause 4 was defeated by a headcount vote of 135 against 16. Following the outcome, the Minority boycotted the remaining stages of the Bill, insisting it sought to establish “a parallel system” that could undermine fairness in criminal adjudication.

The Bill will now await presidential assent before becoming law.