Lawyer and Executive Director of Lands and Mines Watch Ghana, Mr Kwame Owusu Danso, has called for broad national consultation on the proposed Tribunals Bill, saying many Ghanaians still carry painful memories of how tribunals were used in the past.
Speaking on the issue in Joy news platform on Monday July 20, 2026, Mr Owusu Danso said the country should approach the proposed reintroduction of tribunals with caution because previous experiences had left lasting scars on many people.
According to him, tribunals were once perceived as institutions used to intimidate people and suppress dissent, making it important for the government to build public confidence before introducing a similar system.
“People still have scars from the past. They remember how tribunals were used as a means of cowering people into submission. If you are going to reintroduce a system that left painful scars in the lives of many people, then you ought to be very measured,” he said.
He stressed that extensive consultation with stakeholders was necessary to assure Ghanaians that the proposed tribunals would not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Mr Owusu Danso also raised concerns about provisions in the bill that would allow non-lawyers to serve on tribunal panels.
He said the proposal reminded many people of the tribunal system that existed in the 1980s, where non-lawyers also participated in hearing cases.
According to him, although there may be criteria for appointing such individuals, concerns remain because the appointments could be made by political authorities.
He argued that this could create perceptions of political influence over the tribunal system and undermine public confidence in its independence.
“The fact that non-lawyers will be appointed by political people means politics cannot be separated from the process. That could open the door to extreme partisan politics, and we ought to be very careful,” he stated.
Mr Owusu Danso said protecting the rule of law required a justice system that the public trusted to be fair and independent.
He added that people should be able to appear before courts and tribunals without fear or preconceived notions about the outcome of their cases, stressing that any reforms to the justice system should inspire confidence among the public.
By: Jacob Aggrey
