Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has dismissed claims that the proposed tribunal system is being introduced by the government as a tool to target members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), insisting that the initiative is focused on improving justice delivery in Ghana.
Mr Ayariga argued that political parties do not remain in government forever and questioned why the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would establish a judicial system solely for the purpose of persecuting its political opponents when such an institution could remain in existence and serve future administrations.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, July 17, the Majority Leader said allegations that the tribunal system was designed to prosecute NPP members were unfounded.
“When they say, ‘Oh, we are setting it up to try NPP people, to use it for political persecution,’ as if NDC is going to be in power forever. No. NDC is not likely to be in power forever,” he said.
Mr Ayariga added that any system created today would continue to operate even after a change in government, meaning future administrations, including an NPP government, could also benefit from the same framework.
“So, if we set up a system for our opponents; when we leave office, the system will still be there for them to also use against us,” he stated.
The Majority Leader explained that the introduction of the tribunals is primarily aimed at addressing delays within Ghana’s traditional court system and ensuring that certain cases are handled more efficiently.
According to him, concerns over slow judicial processes have been raised over the years, and the proposed tribunals are expected to provide a faster mechanism for resolving specific criminal matters.
“They feel that the traditional courts are slow and so, if you look at this law that we are passing, we have sought to force them to expedite the adjudication of matters, the trial of cases. So, this is fundamentally what the tribunal system tries to deal with,” Mr Ayariga said.
Parliament recently passed the Tribunals Bill, 2026, after it successfully went through its third reading. The legislation seeks to reintroduce regional tribunals under a revised legal framework intended to strengthen the administration of justice and improve access to legal remedies.
The passage of the bill has generated public debate, with some critics raising concerns about possible political influence, while supporters argue that the new system will help reduce delays and improve efficiency within the justice sector.
