The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has presented the Tribunal Bill 2026 to Parliament, aimed at reintroducing a reformed system of public tribunals to strengthen Ghana’s justice delivery system and improve access to justice.

If passed, the Bill will establish tribunals to operate alongside the existing court structure, backed by constitutional provisions and supported by safeguards on due process, human rights, and institutional accountability.

The proposed legislation seeks to give effect to Article 126 of the Constitution, which provides for tribunals within the judicial system but which have largely become inactive over the years.

According to the Attorney-General, the reform is intended to help reduce case backlog in the courts, close gaps in the justice system, and enhance citizen participation in adjudication.

The Bill proposes a two-tier tribunal structure made up of Regional and District Tribunals, both of which will fall under the judiciary and be supervised by the Judicial Council and a proposed Tribunal Oversight Committee.

Under the proposal, Regional Tribunals will exercise concurrent original jurisdiction with the High Court over selected criminal cases, including economic crimes, narcotics offences, tax-related offences, customs violations, and matters involving loss of state resources or property.

District Tribunals will also share jurisdiction with Circuit Courts over specified criminal matters, excluding serious offences such as treason, capital crimes, and cases required to be tried on indictment.

However, the Bill explicitly excludes constitutional interpretation cases under Article 130, human rights violations, and other matters excluded by law.

It further outlines guiding principles for tribunal operations, including fairness, transparency, efficiency, independence, and respect for fundamental human rights. Decisions of the tribunals will also be subject to appeal.

The proposed law also provides detailed governance structures covering the appointment, discipline, retirement, and removal of tribunal members, alongside a code of conduct to regulate their operations.

Dr Ayine said the reforms are designed to address past concerns about public tribunals by ensuring a modern, constitutionally grounded system that upholds due process and justice delivery standards.

The Bill has been read for the first time and referred to Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee for further scrutiny. The Attorney-General also met with the joint committee last week to discuss the proposals in detail.