Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Special Advisor to the President, has announced that the government plans to establish specialised courts to prosecute audit failures, illegal mining (galamsey), and other environmental offences.
According to her, the move is aimed at strengthening accountability and safeguarding public resources.
In a Facebook post on Monday, November 17, 2025, Mrs. Bawah underscored the urgent need to tackle systemic corruption and environmental degradation in Ghana.
The courts, announced in October 2025, will allow for “circuit adjudications” across the country, ensuring that cases are handled quickly and that justice is accessible nationwide.
The initiative follows consultations with the Acting Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, and the Auditor-General.
She said, “If you have been following the ongoing proceedings at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, one conclusion is inescapable: Ghana must confront – decisively and urgently – the root causes of endemic corruption and environmental degradation. For how long can we continue to lament leakages in the public purse? For how long must the President repeatedly call for further investigations into audit infractions, only for accountability to stall after the publication of reports?”
She highlighted the limitation of the Auditor-General’s office, noting, “Yes, the Auditor-General’s annual reports expose systemic failures and financial infractions, however, one crucial limitation persists – the office does not have prosecutorial powers.”
Mrs. Bawah noted that while the Auditor-General’s reports expose financial infractions, the office lacks prosecutorial powers. The new courts aim to fill this enforcement gap, combining the Auditor-General’s surcharge authority with swift judicial action to deter misuse of public funds.
The specialised courts will also address environmental crimes, linking illegal mining and ecological damage to broader public accountability.
Mrs. Bawah said, “Persistent obstacles to prosecuting audit-related offences have included case backlog, jurisdictional confusion and limited specialized capacity. However, circuit courts across the regions will bring justice closer to the people, reduce delays and increase public confidence.”
The government stresses that effective resourcing, transparency, and independence from political interference will be key to the success of the initiative.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
