The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama not to sign the recently passed Tribunal Bill, 2026 into law, urging instead that broader national consultations be held before any further action is taken.
In a statement issued after Parliament approved the bill, Dr. Bawumia said the legislation raises important constitutional and judicial concerns that deserve wider public discussion rather than an expedited legislative process.
According to him, Parliament passed the bill after waiving the mandatory one-day interval between the consideration stage and third reading, despite objections from the Minority, which were defeated by a majority vote.
Dr. Bawumia argued that the concerns expressed by Organised Labour, particularly the Trades Union Congress (TUC), should not be overlooked. He noted that the TUC had called for the withdrawal of the bill, warning that its current provisions could be used to undermine the administration of justice.
Describing his appeal as non-partisan, the former Vice President urged President Mahama to delay assent to allow Ghanaians the opportunity to examine the legislation and engage in a broader national conversation.
He also questioned the timing of the bill, noting that the Constitution Review Committee established by President Mahama had reportedly recommended removing regional tribunals from the Constitution because the High Court already performs those functions. According to him, the committee’s report has not yet been made public.
Dr. Bawumia said the report should be published before any legislation that could reshape Ghana’s judicial system is enacted.
He further argued that challenges facing the justice system, including court congestion, should be addressed by strengthening existing courts through the appointment of more judges, expanding courtroom infrastructure and accelerating the digitisation of judicial processes rather than creating what he described as a parallel justice system.
The NPP flagbearer also expressed concern that the proposed tribunals would allow panels comprising both lawyers and non-lawyers to hear criminal cases, saying Ghana’s historical experience with tribunals requires careful reflection.
He appealed to President Mahama to initiate consultations involving the Ghana Bar Association, organised labour, civil society organisations, political parties and the judiciary before deciding on the bill.
Dr. Bawumia maintained that reforms affecting the country’s justice system should be built on broad national consensus rather than relying solely on Parliament’s numerical majority.
