Tribunals bill will expand Ghana’s court system, not replace it – Lawyer Amos Ayuure
Legal practitioner says the Tribunals Bill, 2026 is aimed at easing pressure on regular courts, improving access to justice, and strengthening Ghana's judicial system.
Private legal practitioner, Amos Ayuure has dismissed claims that the recently passed Tribunals Bill, 2026 seeks to replace Ghana’s existing court system, insisting that the legislation is intended to strengthen the administration of justice by expanding the country’s judicial framework.
According to him, the establishment of district and regional tribunals will complement the work of the regular courts by handling specific categories of cases, thereby reducing the heavy caseload on judges and improving access to justice.
Speaking on Mike FM’s Big Mike Breakfast Show on Monday, July 20, Lawyer Ayuure explained that much of the public concern surrounding the Bill stems from a misunderstanding of its purpose.
He stressed that the proposed tribunal system is designed to operate alongside the existing courts rather than compete with or replace them.
He noted that while some critics have argued that government should instead expand the conventional court system, the creation of tribunals is itself a form of judicial expansion.
“This is definitely an expansion because we have magistrate courts at the district level and high courts at the regional level. The tribunal system is also part of expanding the court structure,” he said.
Lawyer Ayuure explained that the regular courts and tribunals can function concurrently, with each handling matters assigned to it by law. He added that government can simultaneously continue investing in the recruitment of judges, expansion of court infrastructure and other reforms aimed at improving the efficiency of the justice delivery system.
He said the tribunal system would help reduce delays in the adjudication of cases by easing the burden on the regular courts.
“The tribunal system will ease the pressure on the courts. While tribunals handle the cases assigned to them, the regular courts will also continue to do their work,” he stated.
Addressing concerns about the historical operation of tribunals in Ghana, particularly allegations of corruption and political interference, Lawyer Ayuure acknowledged that past challenges existed but argued that they should not be used to discredit the concept entirely.
“If there were excesses in the past, then we should remove those excesses, safeguard the system against corruption and make it better instead of abandoning it,” he said.
He further urged political leaders and the public to assess the Bill on its merits rather than through partisan considerations, emphasizing that reforms aimed at improving justice delivery should attract national support irrespective of the government introducing them.
Lawyer Ayuure called for stronger accountability mechanisms within the proposed tribunal system to guarantee fairness, transparency and public confidence.
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