Tribunal Bill laid before Parliament to reintroduce public tribunals

Dr. Dominic Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, has laid the Tribunal Bill, 2026 before Parliament, seeking to reintroduce public tribunals as part of reforms aimed at strengthening Ghana's justice delivery system and improving access to justice. The Bill has undergone its first reading and seeks to operationalise Article 126 of the 1992 Constitution.

If passed, the legislation will establish a reformed tribunal system to operate alongside conventional courts, backed by constitutional safeguards, oversight mechanisms, and protections for due process and fundamental human rights. According to the Attorney-General, the proposed reforms are intended to address gaps in the existing legal framework, reduce the growing backlog of cases in the courts, and broaden access to justice while encouraging greater citizen participation in adjudication processes. The Bill proposes a two-tier tribunal structure comprising Regional Tribunals and District Tribunals, both operating under the judiciary, supervised by the Judicial Council and a proposed Tribunal Oversight Committee. Regional Tribunals will exercise concurrent original jurisdiction with the High Court over specified criminal matters, including economic crimes, narcotics offences, tax-related offences, customs violations, and cases involving loss of state funds or property. District Tribunals will have concurrent jurisdiction with Circuit Courts over selected criminal matters, excluding offences such as treason, capital offences, and other cases triable on indictment.