The Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, has strongly criticised Parliament’s passage of the Tribunals Bill, 2026, describing the revival of regional tribunals as a major setback for Ghana’s democratic and judicial systems.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, July 17, shortly after Parliament approved the Bill following its third reading, Mr Awuku argued that the government should prioritise strengthening the country’s existing courts instead of reintroducing regional tribunals.
According to him, the High Court, Circuit Court and District Court are already equipped to handle the country’s judicial workload and should receive the resources intended for the tribunals.
“It is a tragedy. You have the High Court that is handling many of these cases. If you look at the report from the Constitutional Review Commission, it recommended that the regional tribunals be de-established because the High Court has been handling the caseload of the regional tribunals,” he stated.
The Akuapem North lawmaker maintained that expanding the jurisdiction of the Circuit Courts and improving the operational capacity of the High Courts would be a more effective way to improve the justice delivery system.
Mr Awuku further expressed concern that the government’s decision could erode public confidence in the judiciary, claiming recent actions by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have heightened fears over the fairness of the country’s judicial processes.
“Today, every step the NDC takes makes it very scary for us to believe that you are going to have a fair trial if you seek redress in court. I am worried about the sanctity of our judiciary and the resilience of our democracy,” he said.
The MP also cited Ghana’s political history, arguing that regional tribunals remain closely associated with a period marked by allegations of injustice and the denial of fair trial rights. He questioned the rationale behind the government’s renewed push to restore the tribunals, noting that previous administrations had refrained from fully operationalising them because of their controversial legacy.
“I don’t know what it is with this government that all of a sudden, they are fixated on resuscitating the regional tribunals. It remains a dark spot in our nation’s history. We are driving ourselves towards a situation where people may begin to feel they are not being listened to, and I do not think that is good for our democracy,” he added.
Parliament on Friday passed the Tribunals Bill, 2026, after it successfully completed its third reading. The legislation seeks to re-establish regional tribunals under a revised legal framework intended to strengthen the administration of justice and improve access to legal remedies.
Meanwhile, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has assured Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that Parliament remains open to reviewing provisions of the legislation should concerns emerge during its implementation.
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