The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) has recommended the removal of Regional Tribunals from Ghana’s Constitution, citing their prolonged inactivity and the fact that their workload is already being handled by the High Court.
According to the Committee, maintaining provisions for largely dormant tribunals is inefficient, arguing that resources earmarked for their revival would be better deployed to strengthen the High Court, as well as the Circuit and District Courts. The CRC has proposed that these lower courts be fully integrated into the regular judiciary to enhance efficiency and access to justice.
In its report, the Committee further suggested expanding the jurisdiction of the Circuit Courts to accommodate cases that would ordinarily fall under the mandate of the Regional Tribunals.“The Committee recommends that the Regional Tribunals be disestablished from the Constitution. The Committee notes that the High Court has been handling the caseload of the Regional Tribunals,” the report stated.
“The resources to be committed to resuscitating the moribund Regional Tribunals could be channelled to resource the High Court, as well as the Circuit and District Courts that the Committee now proposes to make part of the regular judiciary.”
The CRC added that broadening the jurisdiction of Circuit Courts would ensure continuity in handling serious cases previously assigned to the Regional Tribunals, without creating institutional gaps in the justice system.
“Moreover, the jurisdiction of the Circuits could be expanded to take on some of the cases that the Regional Tribunals would ordinarily hear,” the Committee proposed.
Judicial Qualifications and Appointment Process
On judicial qualifications, the Committee recommended stricter experience requirements for judges of the Other Courts. It proposed that Circuit Court judges should have a minimum of five years of post-qualification legal experience, with no record of disciplinary sanctions. District Court judges, it said, should possess at least three years of post-qualification experience, also free from disciplinary issues.
“A person should be qualified to be a Circuit Court Judge if the person possesses a minimum of five years of demonstrable post-qualification experience as a lawyer and has no disciplinary sanctions,” the report stated.
“For the District Court, a Judge should have a minimum of three years of demonstrable post-qualification experience as a lawyer, without any disciplinary sanctions.”
The Committee also outlined a revised appointment process for judges of the Other Courts. Under the proposal, the Judicial Council would publicly advertise vacancies and invite applications from qualified lawyers. Following an initial screening, shortlisted candidates would undergo examinations and interviews conducted by the Public Services Commission.
Successful candidates would then be forwarded to the Judicial Council, which would make recommendations to the President for appointment.
