Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has announced a bold step in Ghana’s legal reforms with the planned operationalization of Public Tribunals to expedite the prosecution of illegal mining cases.
Speaking at a high-level meeting between President John Dramani Mahama and civil society organizations (CSOs) on the government’s strategy to combat galamsey, Dr. Ayine revealed that a Public Tribunal Bill has been laid before Cabinet for approval and will soon be presented to Parliament on a certificate of urgency.
The initiative, he explained, seeks to give dedicated tribunals exclusive jurisdiction over illegal mining cases, ensuring that such cases are resolved swiftly within defined timelines.
“Cabinet will meet and approve the Public Tribunal’s Bill, which will go to Parliament on a certificate of urgency, and if by December the tribunals are in place, most of the circuit tribunals will be given exclusive jurisdiction to deal with illegal mining cases”.
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
He outlined that the tribunals would be equipped with chairpersons and panel members, whose mandate will include adhering strictly to statutory timelines. Under the new system, no illegal mining case will be allowed to drag indefinitely.
“We will appoint the Chairman and panel members of the tribunals, give them timelines beyond which they should not carry a case. So, for instance, we will insist that every mining case should end within six months. There are reasons for you to appeal, that is fine, but the tribunal must deliver its verdict within six months”.
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
The Attorney General emphasized that this measure is necessary to ensure accountability and swift justice, noting that the current legal framework lacks such mandatory timelines.
“Currently, we don’t have those statutory timelines in CI 47, that is, the High Court Civil Procedure Rules. So I want Parliament to help me to put those timelines in the Tribunal’s Bill so that the tribunals will do the cases very fast”.
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
Law Enforcement Core to Government Anti-Galamsey Fight
Dr. Ayine pointed out that law enforcement and regulatory reforms remain at the core of the government’s strategy to change the narrative around illegal mining, which has wreaked havoc on Ghana’s environment, particularly its rivers, forests, and farmlands.
“As I said, law enforcement and regulatory reform is at the heart of what we are doing and will not spare any person in terms of the accountability for their destruction of the environment”.
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
The decision to operationalize the Public Tribunals also marks the fulfillment of a key National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 campaign promise to reform the legal system by reviving the tribunal system, which, although enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, has remained dormant for more than three decades.
The tribunals, if established, would provide an alternative judicial pathway specifically tailored to deal with environmental and mining-related offenses that have overburdened the mainstream courts.
The Attorney General’s remarks come at a time when the government has intensified its crackdown on galamsey, with President Mahama vowing not only to pursue enforcement measures but also to involve traditional leaders, civil society, and communities in a broader dialogue aimed at finding lasting solutions to the menace.
The operationalization of tribunals is expected to add teeth to these efforts by addressing the problem of protracted litigation, which often allows offenders to exploit delays in the system to their advantage.
The establishment of the Public Tribunals could significantly shift the momentum in the fight against galamsey. For years, environmentalists and CSOs have lamented the slow pace of prosecutions, with many cases either stalling in court or collapsing altogether due to procedural delays.
Guarantee of Justice
By imposing statutory timelines of six months, the government aims to guarantee that justice in illegal mining cases is not only done but seen to be done within a reasonable period.
For President Mahama’s administration, the tribunals also represent a larger commitment to reforming Ghana’s governance and legal institutions to deliver on the promises of transparency, accountability, and environmental stewardship.
The Attorney General’s assurance that “no person will be spared” in the pursuit of accountability signals a determination to hold both local and foreign actors responsible for the devastation caused by illegal mining.
Civil society organizations, present at the meeting, welcomed the government’s steps but urged that the tribunals, once established, must be adequately resourced and insulated from political interference to deliver justice effectively.
Some groups have also called for stronger collaboration between the tribunals and environmental agencies to ensure that verdicts are enforced and that rehabilitative measures accompany punitive sanctions.
As Ghana prepares for Parliament’s return in October, the laying of the Public Tribunal Bill on a certificate of urgency will be of great public interest. If passed, the tribunals could be in operation by December, marking the first time since the 1992 Constitution that the provision for Public Tribunals is fully implemented.
For communities along the country’s river basins and forest frontiers, where the scars of galamsey are most visible, the Attorney General’s announcement offers hope of a more decisive and effective legal response.
For the government, it is a test of its commitment to deliver not just promises but results in the battle against what has become one of Ghana’s most intractable environmental crises.
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