Private legal practitioner Gideon Nii Tetteh has defended the proposed Tribunals Bill, arguing that the establishment of tribunals will help expedite the trial of corruption-related cases while easing the growing burden on Ghana’s courts.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem programme hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra, Mr. Tetteh dismissed suggestions that tribunals would undermine the country’s judicial system. He explained that tribunals are not fundamentally different from the courts but are intended to handle specific categories of cases more efficiently.
His comments come amid heightened political debate following a press conference by former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the Minority in Parliament, who have urged President John Dramani Mahama not to assent to the Tribunals Bill. Critics argue that the reintroduction of tribunals could create opportunities for political interference and revive concerns associated with similar institutions that operated during earlier periods of Ghana’s political history.
Supporters of the bill, including the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, however, maintain that the proposed legislation is intended to strengthen the administration of justice by establishing specialised tribunals to hear corruption, financial crimes and other designated offences. They argue that the measure will help reduce the backlog of cases and ensure the speedy determination of matters of significant public interest.
Mr. Tetteh noted that Ghana’s courts are already burdened with a high volume of criminal and civil cases, resulting in delays in the administration of justice. According to him, corruption and economic crime cases often compete with numerous other matters for hearing dates, making it difficult to conclude them within a reasonable time.
“The courts are competent to handle these cases, but they are heavily loaded. Every crime in this country is treated with importance, and that contributes to delays. The tribunal is being proposed to reduce the burden on the criminal courts and ensure that specific cases, particularly corruption-related matters, are dealt with more quickly,” he explained.
He stressed that the proposed tribunals would operate within Ghana’s legal framework and would not apply different standards of justice. Instead, they would focus on designated cases to facilitate quicker adjudication.
Mr. Tetteh further stated that the Attorney-General’s proposal is intended to address the growing backlog of cases before the courts while strengthening the fight against corruption through a more specialised and efficient justice delivery system.
The legal practitioner also questioned the strong opposition to the bill, particularly the decision by Dr. Bawumia to publicly campaign against it. He argued that the tribunals are designed to complement, rather than replace, the existing courts and should not be viewed as a threat to Ghana’s democratic and judicial institutions.
Responding to concerns raised by critics, including some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Tetteh said he sees no legal justification for withholding presidential assent to the bill.
“The tribunal will not do anything different from the courts. Its purpose is to reduce the burden on the courts and provide a faster means of dealing with corruption-related cases,” he said.
The Tribunals Bill has generated widespread national debate. Supporters believe it will strengthen the fight against corruption and improve the efficiency of Ghana’s justice delivery system, while opponents argue that it could be vulnerable to political misuse if adequate safeguards are not maintained.
The bill now awaits President John Dramani Mahama’s decision on whether to grant presidential assent, a move that is being closely watched by legal practitioners, political stakeholders and the general public.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah | Ahotoronline.com