What Ghana’s new Public Tribunals Bill 2026 means for justice
- Ghana's Parliament passed the Public Tribunals Bill, 2026, despite a Minority walkout and opposition from the Trades Union Congress
- The law establishes Regional and District Tribunals to handle financial crimes, galamsey, tax evasion, and corruption cases
- Attorney General Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine said the tribunals will reduce court backlogs and close gaps in Ghana's justice system
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Ghana's Parliament has passed the Public Tribunals Bill, 2026, creating a network of specialised courts designed to accelerate justice delivery and tackle systemic offences such as galamsey, financial crimes, tax evasion, and corruption.
The legislation was passed despite a walkout by the Minority in Parliament and vocal resistance from the Trades Union Congress, signalling that the bill's passage was far from uncontested.
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What the Public Tribunals Bill introduces
The new law activates Articles 126 and 142 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution and establishes a two-tier tribunal structure sitting alongside the existing court system.
According to a report by GhanaWeb, Regional Tribunals will operate at the level of the High Court, handling complex criminal matters including narcotics and tax offences.
District Tribunals will share jurisdiction with Circuit Courts for lesser criminal cases, though treason and capital offences are explicitly excluded from their remit.
A Tribunal Oversight Committee will be set up to handle administrative supervision across both tiers.
Each tribunal will be composed of legally qualified chairpersons sitting alongside citizen panel members, with clear rules governing appointments, conduct, and discipline. All rulings will be subject to appellate review, preserving due process protections.
Government's justification for Public Tribunals
Minister of Justice and Attorney General Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine said the tribunals are intended to reduce the mounting backlog of cases burdening Ghana's traditional courts, address structural gaps in the justice system, and broaden citizen participation in adjudication.
The reform is partly a response to longstanding concerns about delayed justice in Ghana, particularly in high-priority areas such as illegal mining and public sector corruption, where cases have historically moved slowly through the conventional court system.
The inclusion of galamsey among the offences the tribunals will prioritise reflects the government's stated commitment to confronting one of Ghana's most damaging environmental and economic challenges through the legal system.
The bill's opponents, including the Trades Union Congress, have raised concerns about the legislation, though the specific grounds of their objections were not elaborated upon at the time of the vote.
Mahama nominates three legal brains to Supreme Court
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President John Dramani Mahama nominated three legal figures to Ghana's Supreme Court, pending parliamentary vetting and approval.
The nominees include two Court of Appeal justices and former Ghana Bar Association President Tony Forson.
Justice Edward Amoako Asante previously served as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice before his nomination.
Source: YEN.com.gh
