The Minority in Ghana’s 9th Parliament staged a walkout in protest against the government’s proposed Tribunals Bill, 2026, insisting that Ghana does not need tribunals under its current democratic system.
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, the Minority left the chamber before Parliament proceeded to approve the bill. Addressing journalists after the walkout, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the proposed tribunal system could undermine constitutional rights.
“This whole exercise is to create a system where people would be pronounced guilty even before their case is properly determined. There is no established procedure for ensuring fairness, and it is not only the Minority that is complaining,” he stated.
Afenyo-Markin cited organised labour’s rejection of the bill as further evidence of public opposition. “Today, organised labour has come out loudly to re-echo its position on this matter, that we don’t need a tribunal system in our country anymore,” he added.
He also referenced Ghana’s history under the PNDC era, warning against a repeat of past abuses. “Tribunal system, we know what happened in the PNDC era where people were targeted, assets were seized and those people who claimed they were tribunal members enriched themselves. We know that record of the NDC, their predecessor PNDC,” he said.
Explaining the Minority’s decision to walk out, Afenyo-Markin accused the Majority of shutting down dialogue. “So we, the Minority, have left the chamber because the Majority Leader decided to shut the door. In Parliament, we believe that in all situations of disagreement, there must be a window to discuss, to raise the concerns. But once the Majority Leader makes a strong pronouncement that whatever the case, they will not listen, they will use their numbers to pass the bill, then there was no point again,” he said.
He further alleged that the Majority initially lacked the numbers to proceed. “You recall that earlier in the day when we raised this issue, the Majority Leader, realising that he didn’t have the numbers, immediately called for suspension of the House,” Afenyo-Markin revealed.
