Attorney General lays Bill in Parliament to Revive Public Tribunals
- Attorney General Dr Dominic Ayine presented the Tribunal Bill 2026 to Parliament to revive Ghana's public tribunal system
- The Bill establishes Regional and District Tribunals to handle economic crimes and minor offences, easing severe court backlogs
- The legislation passed its first reading and is currently undergoing committee review in Parliament
Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine has laid the Tribunal Bill 2026 before Parliament, seeking to restore public tribunals in Ghana and address persistent case backlogs that have long strained the country's courts.
The Bill activates dormant provisions under Article 126 of the Constitution, creating a reformed tribunal structure that operates alongside existing courts while remaining subject to human rights protections and constitutional oversight.
Source: Facebook
The legislation introduces two tiers of tribunals under the supervision of the Judicial Council and a newly created Tribunal Oversight Committee.
Regional Tribunals, which will share jurisdiction with the High Court, are designated to prosecute economic crimes, narcotics offences, tax evasion, and theft of state property. District Tribunals, operating at the level of Circuit Courts, will deal with minor criminal matters.
According to report sighted on Citinewsroom, the Bill explicitly bars tribunals from adjudicating constitutional questions, human rights violations, treason, and capital offences, drawing a clear boundary around the most sensitive areas of the law.
AG addresses tribunal abuse concerns
Dr Ayine acknowledged the historical baggage attached to public tribunals in Ghana, noting that the reforms are designed to address those earlier concerns by embedding due process and constitutional safeguards throughout the new system.
All tribunal proceedings must uphold independence, fairness, and transparency, and any decisions reached will be open to appellate review.
The reforms are primarily aimed at modernising the judicial landscape, expanding access to justice for ordinary Ghanaians, and reducing the volume of cases clogging the conventional court system.
The Tribunal Bill 2026 has completed its first reading in Parliament and is currently being examined by the relevant committee.
Former NAFCO boss arrested at Accra Airport
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that law enforcement officers arrested the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, at the Accra International Airport.
The former NAFCO boss was previously granted permission by the High Court to travel to the United Kingdom for a short stay while standing trial.
The Deputy Attorney General indicated that the arrest followed an alleged attempt by the accused to use fraudulent means to access funds from his frozen Republic Bank account.
Source: YEN.com.gh
