Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP),has issued a fervent appeal to President John Dramani Mahama: refuse assent to the controversial Tribunals Bill, 2026. Bawumia’s address, delivered live to the nation, warned that the proposed legislation posed a grave risk to Ghana’s democratic foundations, threatened public trust in the judiciary, and could fundamentally alter the nation’s justice system.
Bawumia called on the President to halt the bill’s approval and instead initiate extensive, inclusive stakeholder consultations before any sweeping changes were made to Ghana’s legal landscape. His call came after the bill’s legislative journey had already drawn fierce criticism from opposition lawmakers and labor unions. The bill’s passage was expedited when Parliament’s majority leaders waived the statutory 24-hour cooling-off period required between its consideration and final reading. Intense objections from the Minority and widespread protests from Organized Labor were ultimately overridden by the majority’s votes.
A major point of concern among legal experts and critics was a provision that would allow regular panels, potentially including individuals with no legal training, to preside over complex criminal cases. Bawumia cautioned that such provisions, rushed through by parliamentary numbers rather than consensus, risked politicizing justice and undermining its impartial delivery.
He reminded the nation of the historical abuses of regional and public tribunals in Ghana’s past and referenced the recommendations of the Kwasi Prempeh Constitutional Review Committee, which had advocated abolishing parallel tribunal systems. Instead of creating a new, potentially problematic structure to ease court congestion, Bawumia advocated for modernizing the current judiciary: expanding courtrooms, appointing more qualified judges, and digitizing court operations.
Directly addressing President Mahama, Bawumia urged him to use his constitutional powers to pause the bill and invite open dialogue through the Council of State. He stressed that justice in Ghana should serve all citizens, not any one political party or administration. To achieve this, Bawumia called for a national dialogue that would bring together the Ghana Bar Association, civil society, legal experts, organized labor, and the judiciary to forge a broad consensus on the way forward.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com