Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged President John Dramani Mahama to withhold assent to the recently passed Tribunals Bill, stressing that such a consequential measure should only be enacted following broad national consultations. In a national address on Sunday, July 19, Dr. Bawumia voiced concern over the bill’s passage and appealed for a pause in the assent process to allow meaningful engagement with stakeholders directly connected to Ghana’s justice system.
The former Vice President argued that legislation with far‑reaching implications for the country’s judicial framework must be shaped through consensus rather than relying solely on a parliamentary majority. He emphasised that involving professional associations, civil society groups, labour unions, and political parties would foster public trust in the reforms and ensure that the law reflects the collective interests of Ghanaians.
Dr. Bawumia stressed that the judiciary is a vital pillar of Ghana’s democracy and that any attempt to alter the framework within which justice is administered should be approached with caution, openness and inclusivity. He therefore urged President Mahama to initiate a comprehensive national dialogue before taking any further steps on the bill.
“The bill will soon be transmitted to the president for his assent, and I have one respectful request of President Mahama. Mr. President, do not assent to this bill. Pause and let the nation ponder and deliberate on this very important matter. “This is not a partisan request. The Trades Union Congress and the voice of millions of Ghanaian workers have called for the bill to be withdrawn, warning that in its current form, it could become a potent tool for weaponising justice delivery
“Those are the words of Ghanaian workers, not of any political party. Consider also the government’s own process. The president established the Constitution Review Committee, and it recommended removing regional tribunals from the constitution because the High Court has long carried their case loads.” “My call is simple and constructive: withhold your assent. Convene genuine national engagement. Invite the Ghana Bar Association and other lawyer groups, Organised Labour, CSOs and the political parties, including my own and we will come in good faith and consult the judiciary itself.
“Justice belongs to no government and no party; it belongs to the Ghanaian people, and a law that reshapes the architecture of justice should rest on national consensus and not a headcount. “Mr. President, the pen is in your hand, use it not to assent to this bill but write an invitation to the nation.”
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Source: Kabah Atawoge
