The Member of Parliament for the Effia Constituency, Isaac Yaw Boamah-Nyarko, has strongly criticized the passage of the Tribunals Bill, describing the proposed establishment of district, regional, and national tribunals as a needless exercise that lacks merit and sound reasoning.
He noted that although establishing these bodies is a constitutional requirement, pushing ahead with them makes little sense, particularly given that the country has functioned effectively without them for decades.
The lawmaker argued that the justification provided by proponents of the bill fails to hold water.
He questioned why the government chose not to redirect the substantial resources required for these tribunals toward expanding and strengthening the existing High Courts instead.
According to him, the government’s claim that tribunals will clear case backlogs, accelerate the delivery of justice, and deepen public participation in the judicial process exposes a fundamental lack of wisdom in managing the country’s court system.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, the MP challenged the necessity of the legislation.
“Has the constituency imposed it on us to establish tribunals? Why have we lived without the tribunals up until now, and what has been our problem?” he queried.
When asked why Parliament has not simply amended the constitution if the tribunal system is truly redundant, he dismissed the procedural argument.
“Whether the law is amended or the tribunal system is removed or not, it is inconsequential. What is the problem that you want to fix? Is something broken? Do we have something broken today that we want to fix with the tribunal?” he countered.
He further questioned the practical viability of the new system and whether it would actually resolve systemic delays.
“So with the traditional system, are we not wise and knowledgeable enough to fast-track cases or determine matters swiftly? And what is the guarantee that with the tribunal system there would not be a backlog of cases? How many tribunals are they going to establish, and won’t that come at a cost? What is the guarantee that, without the provision of adequate infrastructure, electricity, and generators, you will have no backlog of cases? Where are these guarantees coming from, and what shows that with the tribunal system we will solve these problems?” he asked.
Mr Boamah-Nyarko also highlighted serious concerns regarding the qualifications of those who will sit on these panels. He described as deeply troubling the absence of clear professional criteria for individuals appointed to preside over the tribunals, especially given that their status would be equivalent to that of District and High Court judges.
He accused the Majority Caucus of abusing its parliamentary numbers to steamroll the legislation through without listening to reasoned opposition.
He said that a majority of Ghanaians oppose the tribunal system, yet the government remains indifferent to public sentiment.
He argued that the passed legislation fails to guarantee freedom or uphold the constitutional provisions designed to protect the delivery of justice for ordinary Ghanaians.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
