Former Speaker of Parliament, Mike Oquaye, has cautioned against any return to extra-judicial systems such as public tribunals, stressing the need to uphold the authority of the courts.

He stressed the importance of adherence to the rule of law, noting that laws enacted through proper constitutional processes must guide national conduct.

Speaking at the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Ghana on Thursday, April 16, he noted that Ghana’s judicial history has experienced periods of strain but emphasised that the formal court system must remain the cornerstone of justice delivery.

Prof. Oquaye reiterated that the Supreme Court remains the final arbiter in all legal and constitutional matters, and its authority must be respected at all times.

The former Speaker also called for continuous legal reforms to address gaps within Ghana’s legal framework.

According to him, the judiciary and Parliament must work closely to fill existing constitutional and legislative gaps to strengthen governance and justice delivery.

“Our courts have been through several trajectories, including challenges from public tribunals under the PNDC revolutionary years. It is interesting to know that it was only on the insistence of Chairman Rawlings that the tribunals appeared in the 1992 Constitution at all.

“I am reliably informed that through the persuasion of Justice Crabbe, a compromise was reached that the tribunals would be in the Constitution, but they would not be applied in any way.

“Notably, President Rawlings honoured this. For this matter, I will say, let not the tribunals come back as thought alternatives in the modern world,” he said