Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim Central and former Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, has strongly refuted claims by the Parliamentary Majority that the controversial Public Tribunals Bill passed with consensus and unanimous backing.
Speaking during a recent appearance on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo show, Anyimadu-Antwi clarified that the legislation faced strong opposition from the Minority Caucus during parliamentary deliberations, culminating in a recorded headcount vote and a staged walkout before its final passage.
Dispute Over Consensus Claims
Anyimadu-Antwi addressed assertions suggesting that Parliament agreed unanimously on the restructuring of the tribunal system. He underscored that the Minority raised fundamental constitutional and legal objections to establishing parallel judicial structures.
“It is completely inaccurate to suggest there was unanimous approval or bipartisan consensus on this legislation,” Anyimadu-Antwi stated. “The Minority expressed deep reservations about establishing regional and district public tribunals when our existing court system—from district to high courts—is fully functional. We challenged the provisions, forced a headcount vote, and walked out when our amendments were rejected.”
The Asante-Akim Central MP noted that the Minority explicitly moved to delete Clause 4 of the bill—which provides for the creation of lower-level public tribunals—arguing that Article 126 of the 1992 Constitution permits but does not mandate parallel judicial bodies that risk duplicating judicial power and creating public confusion.
Procedural Objections & Legal Concerns
Outlining the sequence of events in the chamber, Anyimadu-Antwi emphasized that the bill’s approval followed a contested 135 to 16 headcount vote on key amendments:
- Objections to Parallel Courts: Opposition lawmakers argued that creating specialized tribunals undermines public confidence in traditional court structures and risks repeating historical missteps associated with public tribunals in Ghana’s past.
- Rejection of Amendments: Despite requests to reconsider or modify Clause 4, the Majority utilized its numerical strength to defeat the proposed amendments.
- Minority Walkout: Following the defeated headcount, the Minority Caucus withdrew from the chamber, leaving the Majority side to carry the bill through its third reading.
Anyimadu-Antwi called on government communicators and Ministry officials to provide an accurate account of parliamentary proceedings, stressing that the public must understand the significant constitutional reservations raised regarding the new tribunal framework.
