Bill to set up specialised courts to handle 'galamsey' cases to be laid in Parliament in February - Attorney-General

The Bill, which is to set up specialised courts to handle illegal mining [galamsey] cases is to be laid in Parliament in February 2026, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine has announced.

Speaking in a television interview with Joy News on Saturday [Jan 10, 2026], Dr Ayine said revisions to the Bill were currently being handled to deal with concerns raised by the Judiciary after Cabinet's approval.

He said the draft had been sent back for reworking following comments from members of the judiciary who had earlier reviewed it.

He explained that the revised bill would introduce mandatory timelines to speed up trials, which he said had been a major weakness in the handling of galamsey cases in the regular courts.

“The law will provide timelines for adjournments. So, for instance, we are putting it in the law that an adjournment should not exceed two weeks, 14 days,” Dr Ayine said.

Read also: Specialised courts to handle cases of persons indicted in Auditor-General's reports and 'galamsey'

Dr Ayine said once the timelines were written into law, tribunal members would be bound to follow them, which would prevent the long delays often seen in ordinary courts.

“Once it is the law, the chairperson and the members of the tribunal will have to adhere to the law. They cannot, for instance, in the face of a statutory provision, give adjournments that are long in duration,” he said.

He blamed repeated and lengthy adjournments for weakening the fight against illegal mining, citing cases where courts had taken three months to give simple rulings.

“Part of the problem we have had with the trials is the long adjournments that are given. For instance, you are supposed to give a ruling on a preliminary matter, and you take an adjournment of three months to give a simple ruling which could have been done that same day or shortly after,” he said.