The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has commenced a comprehensive review of the Tribunals Act to determine whether the legislation meets constitutional standards for the administration of justice in Ghana.
The review is being undertaken by the GBA’s Legal Committee and will focus on key provisions governing the jurisdiction, powers and operations of tribunals.
The Association is also examining the procedures for appointing tribunal members, the process through which decisions are reached and safeguards designed to guarantee fair trials.
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Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association Conference, GBA President Efua Ghartey disclosed that the Association had tasked its Legal Committee, headed by private legal practitioner Ace Anan Ankomah, with conducting the review.
She said the committee had already commenced its research and analysis and would present the Bar’s considered position after completing the exercise.
“The Bar’s Legal Committee headed by Ace Anan Ankomah is seized with this matter, having started analysing and researching this important matter and we shall, in due course, make its position known,” she said.
According to the GBA President, the review will assess the Tribunals Act against constitutional standards and broader principles governing the administration of justice.
Among the issues under consideration are the jurisdiction conferred on tribunals and the authorities responsible for appointing their members.
The committee will also examine how tribunal decisions are reached and whether the existing procedures adequately protect fair trial rights.
The review will further consider the independence of tribunals and whether their continued existence and functions remain necessary and appropriate within Ghana’s current legal and constitutional framework.
Efua Ghartey said the Association would be guided by Ghana’s historical experience with tribunals as it assesses the legislation.
She explained that the review would not be limited to the technical provisions of the law but would also consider whether the current framework is consistent with constitutional principles and contemporary requirements for justice.
The GBA President said the Association would communicate its position once the Legal Committee completes its work.
The review could potentially inform discussions on reforms to Ghana’s tribunal system, particularly concerning judicial independence, appointment processes, jurisdiction and fair trial safeguards.
For now, the GBA’s Legal Committee is continuing its research and analysis of the Tribunals Act.