- Kwasi Kwarteng opposed reviving public tribunals and called for stronger existing courts.
- He said court infrastructure, technology and public confidence should be prioritised.
- He supported speedy trials but said fairness must not be sacrificed.
Private legal practitioner and New Patriotic Party Communications Team member Kwasi Kwarteng has opposed proposals to revive public tribunals, saying Ghana’s justice-delivery problems should instead be addressed through stronger investment in the existing courts.
Speaking on the July 18 edition of KeyPoints with Alfred Ocansey, Mr Kwarteng said delays, infrastructure gaps and concerns about public confidence were the main challenges facing the justice system. In his view, creating tribunals would not by itself resolve those issues.
He called for resources to be directed towards court infrastructure and technology, arguing that proceedings in courts, including the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, still depend heavily on manual typing. He said tools that can transcribe proceedings could help improve efficiency.
Mr Kwarteng also questioned the need for a new institution where courts already exercise comparable powers. He said the focus should be on improving the capacity and performance of the courts already in place rather than establishing parallel structures.
He said the history associated with public tribunals could make it difficult to secure public support for their return. Mr Kwarteng argued that the system brings back memories of abuses, human-rights violations, exploitation and corruption, and said public trust was essential to effective justice delivery.
On proposals to fast-track selected criminal cases, including illegal mining-related offences, Mr Kwarteng said he supported timely trials but warned that speed should not come at the expense of fairness. He also raised concerns about the participation of lay persons in decisions on criminal matters, citing the need to understand constitutional rights and legal principles.
Mr Kwarteng further pointed to Ghana’s fiscal constraints, arguing that funds required to establish tribunals would be better used to strengthen the existing judicial system.
