Legal Education: Post-colonial structures cannot serve our needs today-President Akufo-Addo

The President, Nana Akufo-Addo has noted that Ghana’s Legal System which served the needs of about 6 Million populace in the immediate post-Independent days, cannot serve our needs today.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the International Conference on THE FUTURE OF LEGAL EDUCATION IN GHANA, he tasked stakeholders and players to approach the sector’s challenges with open minds to find a lasting solution.

According to him, Ghana’s Legal Sector has served the country well through lawyers who remained at the forefront of the Nation’s struggle.

He also noted that since the establishment of the Ghana School of Law and the Ghana Law School, Ghana has by and large trained its lawyers internally.

“..We should not only show that we have answers to the issues that confront legal Education. Let us show that we have come with open minds to find a lasting solution to the problems we face. The Legal System here in Ghana has served us well. Lawyers have played significant roles in our society. They were in the forefront in the fight for our Nation’s freedom,”

“Since the reopening of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana and subsequent setting up of the Ghana Law School, we have by and large trained our lawyers here at home. A structure that served our needs with a population of 6 million can not serve our needs today,”

Additionally, the President mentioned however that the problems facing legal education in Ghana are not only about the physical structure but also with the legal regime regulating the sector.

He bemoaned the fact that the Legal Professions Act which regulates the law practice in Ghana was passed in the 1960s, at the time that his father was the President.

“The problem we face with legal Education is not only about the physical structures. The Law that regulates the legal Profession was passed in 1960. The time that my father was President of Ghana for more than 60 years. It cannot be fit for purpose,”

Moreover, the President dispelled views propelled to the effect that the Legal Profession is reserved for a privileged few insisting that it is open to every Ghanaian child who aspires to reach his or her dreams.

In doing so, the President cautioned that we do not compromise quality in our legal Education sector because a badly trained lawyer is a danger to society who will bring the Legal profession into disrepute.

Also, President Akufo-Addo called on the Law Faculties to ensure that they employ accomplished teachers to teach the law because some of the Faculties are struggling and lacking enough qualified lecturers.

Furthermore, he tasked the Attorney General to fast-track the process of consultation on  the new Legal Professions Act by forwarding it to the cabinet and Parliament with urgency.

“This Bill aims to address comprehensively the issues of Legal Education in Ghana today. I have already asked the Attorney General to fast track processes for consultation on the new Legal Professions Bill and lay it before the cabinet  and Parliament as soon as possible,” he noted.

The four-day conference organized by the University of Ghana Faculty of Law on the theme; The Future of Legal Education also saw the Launch of the University of Ghana School of Law Endowment Fund.