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Bawumia urges Mahama to withhold assent to Tribunals Bill and consult stakeholders
The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama not to assent to the Tribunals Bill, 2026, but instead begin broad consultations with key stakeholders before any decision is taken.
In a public address yesterday, Dr Bawumia said the bill had the potential to reshape Ghana’s justice delivery system and therefore required wider national discussion.
He noted that Parliament passed the bill after waiving the mandatory one-day interval between the consideration stage and the third reading, despite objections from the Minority and organised labour.
“The bill will soon be transmitted to the President for his assent. I have one respectful request of President Mahama. Mr President, do not assent to this bill,” he stated.
According to him, the issue should not be treated as a partisan matter because it concerns the country’s justice system and democracy.
Dr Bawumia pointed out that the Trades Union Congress (TUC) had called for the withdrawal of the bill, warning that in its current form it could be used to weaponise the justice delivery system.
He also referred to the work of the Constitution Review Committee, which was set up by President Mahama and submitted its report last December.
According to him, the committee recommended the removal of regional tribunals from the Constitution because the High Court had long been handling their workload.
He questioned why Parliament had passed legislation to reintroduce tribunals before the committee’s report had been made public.
“Mr President, publish the report first,” he urged.
Dr Bawumia further argued that Ghana’s congested courts should be addressed by appointing more judges, building more courtrooms and expanding digital processes instead of creating what he described as a second justice system.
He expressed concern that the proposed tribunals could include panel members who are not lawyers sitting in judgment over criminal cases.
The NPP flagbearer appealed to the President to use his parliamentary majority with restraint, stressing that not every bill that could be passed should necessarily become law.
He called on President Mahama to convene a national dialogue involving the Ghana Bar Association, other lawyers’ groups, organised labour, civil society organisations, political parties and the Judiciary.
Dr Bawumia assured the President that the NPP would participate in such discussions in good faith if invited.
“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, not on headcount,” he said.
He urged the President to use the Council of State process under Articles 90 and 106 of the 1992 Constitution to engage the nation instead of assenting to the bill.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Medical Doctor and dietician, Dr Bernice Korkor Asare, has urged women to take greater responsibility for their lifestyle choices, particularly their eating habits and levels of physical activity, to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
According to her, although, some breast cancer risk factors, such as family history and certain reproductive factors, may not be within an individual’s control, lifestyle choices offer an opportunity for people to take preventive action.
She made this known during a talk on the topic: “Role of diet in breast cancer prevention” organised by Times Ladies Association of the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, in Accra on Thursday.
The event themed “Breast Cancer Awareness- Promoting Early Detection, Healthy Eating and Prevention.” 
She noted that having a risk factor did not automatically mean a person would develop breast cancer, but could increase the likelihood of developing the disease compared with someone without that particular risk factor.
“Having close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly a mother, sister or daughter, may increase the risk, although not everyone with a family history will develop the disease,” Dr Asare opined. Read More.
By Adizatu K. Munkaila
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A group of compassionate friends from Innovation Gospel Impact last Friday visited the management, teachers and learners of the Street Academy in Accra.
The visit was to interact to get a deeper insight into the operations of the Academy that houses hundreds of street and underprivileged children and find ways to support them.
The team was led by Rev. Dr Isaac Apenteng Yeboah, a former Director for West African Mailbox Club and Director for Prisons Support Foundation, and Rev. Dale Sutherland from Washington DC.
The call, according to the visitors was occasioned by reports about the struggles of the Academy despite the occasional support it enjoys from individuals and some corporate entities.
Briefing them, the Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, thanked them for the concern showed, indicating that “this is a major boost for both teachers and learners; knowing that their plight is known by people outside their premises.”
According Dr Lartey, the Academy had planned to undertake a number of project to enhance teaching and learning and also procure facilities for the children with keen interest in sports but had to shelve those plans for lack of finance.
He told the team that their biggest concerns were the monthly utility bills that takes a toll on their finances.
“We have a piece of land we planned to turn into an astro turf pitch to train the younger ones whose interests lies in making a career out of football, however, we have been unable to commence because there is no money now,” he said.
Dr Lartey expressed gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated their lives to training these children, rather than going for well-paying jobs and hoped that with time, their conditions of engagement would improve.
Moved by the plight of the Academy, the group donated a cash amount of Gh₵3,000 to settle its water bills.
They described as unfortunate the conditions of learners and teachers of the Academy and pledged to continuously support their operations to realize the dream to build a better future for the unfortunate children.
The group offered to support the school with its monthly utility bills, feeding and staff allowance and urged the Academy staff to remain in constant touch with them.
The Street Academy is located at the Accra Art Center and offers brilliant but needy the chance to pursue their educational dreams by enrolling them in public schools with others offered training in sports and cultural activities.
By Spectator Reporter
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