By Clement Akoloh
Parliament has passed the Tribunals Bill, 2026 through its Second Reading, clearing the way for clause-by-clause amendments after a heated debate over history, public trust, and the fight against galamsey.
Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin put the question on Wednesday, and the Ayes carried. The Bill now moves to the House for Consideration Stage.
Bagbin: “Don’t Be Carried Away By Propaganda”
Closing the debate, Speaker Bagbin delivered a history lecture, urging MPs to put emotion aside. “It’s unfortunate that our history has been completely distorted and misrepresented,” he said. “I plead with members to read more books on our history and you get to understand why at every time during the course of our history some steps were taken. ”He traced tribunals back to the 1966 coup, when he said “there were no courts, there were no tribunals. It was instant justice.” He added that public tribunals were later created as a “response” and “attempt to establish a judicial process. ”“There’s actually no comprehensive record as of which regime killed more people or was more atrocious than the other. We don’t have those records,” Bagbin stated. “So don’t be carried away by the propaganda that some people put into their books.”
Constitutional Duty, Not PNDC Nostalgia
The Speaker shut down calls for “special courts” instead of tribunals. “The Constitution itself says public tribunal, regional tribunal, district tribunal,” he said. “If during the constitutional review we all decide that let’s move away from that to use specialized courts… that is another decision. But as at now, the bill is talking about regional and district tribunals.”“The mandate to pass law is in the hands of this House, Parliament. So let’s do a good job at the end of the day,” he added.
Majority: “34 Years Overdue“
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga led the push for passage, calling the Bill “long overdue” to operationalize Article 142 of the 1992 Constitution. Citing an Afrobarometer report, Ayariga said “half of Ghanaians have no confidence in the judiciary” because “cases drag on forever” and “corruption has permeated the sector.”
He said day-to-day hearings to stop cases dragging “for decades”, and a special focus on the environment. “When we talk about illegal mining, we’re talking about the environment essentially. These tribunals are going to play a major role in expediting the consideration of matters related to the environment.”
Minority: “Dark Days” Warning
The NPP side was not convinced. Samuel Abu Jinapor called the proposal a painful reminder of PNDC-era tribunals, while John Darko warned of “executive control” because the President appoints tribunal chairpersons. Abena Osei-Asare argued it was duplication: “Lay persons will bring sentiment, not law.”
What Happens Next
The Bill now goes to Consideration Stage where the biggest fights will be:
Appointments: President vs Judicial CouncilPanel Composition: 2 lay persons + 1 lawyer vs 3 lawyers Scope: All criminal offences vs targeted areas like galamsey and environment
Speaker Bagbin directed the Committee to work on provisions and return with amendments. “Let’s have open minds, calm hearts, look at it in detail and do a better job.”
Source:parliamentnews360.com
