Private legal practitioner and lecturer at Wisconsin International University College, Gideon Tettey Tetteh, has defended the Tribunal Bill, arguing that the legislation will strengthen Ghana’s justice delivery system by providing an additional avenue for the speedy determination of specialised cases.
His comments follow President John Dramani Mahama’s assent to 10 bills on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, including legislation relating to the establishment of tribunals.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem programme in Accra on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Mr Tetteh also responded to concerns raised by former Vice President and New Patriotic Party flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at a press conference on the Tribunal legislation.
Dr Bawumia has argued that the legislation could fundamentally alter Ghana’s justice delivery system and undermine public confidence in the judiciary if it becomes law.
Mr Tetteh, however, disagreed, insisting that the Tribunal should not be seen as an attempt to undermine the existing courts or establish a parallel system of justice.
According to him, the Tribunal is designed to complement the existing judicial structure and help address the heavy workload confronting Ghana’s courts.
He explained that the courts are already burdened with a large number of cases, resulting in delays that sometimes force litigants to wait several years before their matters are determined.
He said such delays can themselves undermine public confidence in the judiciary, particularly when people who seek justice are given hearing dates several years into the future.
Mr Tetteh therefore argued that the Tribunal could rather improve public confidence by ensuring that specialised cases are handled more efficiently and within a reasonable period.
He questioned how an institution intended to reduce the backlog of cases and ease pressure on the courts could be regarded as a threat to public confidence in the judiciary.
According to him, if a person takes a case to court and is told to return four, five, eight or even ten years later, that person may lose hope in the justice system.
He said the introduction of a properly structured Tribunal could help prevent such situations by creating additional capacity to deal with specialised matters.
The private legal practitioner also rejected suggestions that the Tribunal is being established specifically to target corruption cases or government officials.
He stressed that the Tribunal is not directed at any political party, government or group of public officials.
Rather, he explained, its mandate is to deal with specialised categories of cases, with the details of its operations to be determined within the legal framework.
Mr Tetteh further cautioned the public against relying on videos circulating on social media to form opinions about the Tribunal.
He said some videos on TikTok, Facebook and other platforms show historical tribunals associated with Ghana’s past political and military periods, including footage of people being sentenced to death.
He clarified that such tribunals should not be confused with the modern Tribunal being introduced under Ghana’s current legal and judicial framework.
According to him, the Tribunal will form part of the formal justice delivery system and will operate according to legislation and established judicial procedures.
He added that the Tribunal would not function outside Ghana’s judicial system.
Mr Tetteh explained that the Chief Justice would have an important role in determining how the Tribunal operates and how cases are managed under the relevant legislation.
He said Parliament had completed its responsibility in passing the legislation, while the relevant institutions would now have to ensure that the law is properly implemented.
Responding specifically to Dr Bawumia’s claim that the Tribunal could undermine public confidence in the judiciary, Mr Tetteh described the argument as misplaced.
He maintained that the existing delays in the courts are a more serious threat to public confidence than the introduction of an additional judicial mechanism designed to speed up the determination of cases.
He said Ghana needs more courts and specialised mechanisms to deal with the growing number of cases rather than measures that could further delay justice delivery.
Mr Tetteh also questioned the rationale behind Dr Bawumia’s press conference, arguing that the concerns raised did not adequately reflect the realities confronting the country’s justice system.
He urged political actors and other stakeholders to avoid politicising the Tribunal and instead focus on ensuring that it is implemented in a manner that strengthens the independence, efficiency and credibility of the judiciary.
He said any reform capable of reducing the workload of the courts and ensuring that specialised cases are resolved more quickly should be welcomed.
Mr Tetteh concluded that the Tribunal, if properly implemented and administered independently, could become an important addition to Ghana’s justice delivery system by reducing the backlog of cases, easing pressure on existing courts and improving access to timely justice.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah
Ahotoronline, Accra.
