In a significant move towards shaping Ghana’s legal education and professional practice, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine has nominated three distinguished legal professionals to serve on the General Legal Council (GLC).
The nominees include Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu, Member of Parliament for Madina; Mrs. Clara Beeri Kasser-Tee, a lecturer at the University of Ghana School of Law; and Dr. Abdul-Bassit Aziz Bamba, a senior lecturer at the same institution.
Their nominations, made in accordance with Section 1(2) of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32) and Paragraph 2(1)(d) of the First Schedule to the Act, have been duly communicated to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama.
Established in 1960 under the Legal Profession Act (Act 32), the General Legal Council is responsible for overseeing the training, qualification, and discipline of legal practitioners in Ghana.
It also supervises legal education at the Ghana School of Law and enforces professional conduct within the legal fraternity.
Over the years, the GLC has faced criticisms regarding its strict admission policies to the Ghana School of Law, allegations of inconsistencies in legal education reforms, and concerns about access to justice.
Many stakeholders, including civil society organizations, law students, and legal practitioners, have called for comprehensive reforms to make legal education more accessible and the profession more transparent.
Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu, an outspoken human rights lawyer and MP for Madina, expressed his gratitude for the nomination, acknowledging the Attorney-General and the President for their confidence in him.
“I wish to thank the Learned Attorney-General of the Republic of Ghana, Hon. Dr. Dominic Ayine, for nominating me to the General Legal Council. The GLC, which regulates the legal profession in Ghana by overseeing legal education and professional practice of the law, plays a key role in effective and quality justice delivery”.
Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu
He emphasized the urgent need for “serious progressive reforms” within the GLC, noting that the legal education system in Ghana requires restructuring to ensure justice is accessible to all.
“I humbly accept this nomination and promise to work with other Council members and relevant stakeholders to achieve the reset agenda of the President. Let’s work together to reform and reset legal education and practice in Ghana to guarantee justice for all and injustice to none”.
Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu
Sosu’s nomination has been welcomed by many within the legal fraternity, given his extensive work in human rights advocacy and legal reform.
His presence on the Council is expected to bring a strong voice for change, particularly in expanding access to legal education and improving professional standards.
The inclusion of Mrs. Clara Kasser-Tee and Dr. Abdul-Bassit Aziz Bamba further strengthens the Council’s composition, adding experienced academics and legal minds who have been instrumental in shaping legal education and practice in Ghana.
Mrs. Kasser-Tee, a respected law lecturer, has been an advocate for legal reforms and has frequently engaged in national discussions on constitutional and governance issues. Dr. Bamba, also a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, brings a wealth of academic and practical legal expertise.
With these nominations, legal practitioners and students are hopeful that key issues such as legal education accessibility, transparency in professional licensing, and broader justice sector reforms will be addressed in the coming years.
Barker-Vormawor Applauds Nomination
Reacting to Hon. Francis Sosu’s appointment, legal practitioner and activist Osagyefo Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor described it as a “brilliant masterstroke.”
“We must now follow that up with legislation that removes judges from the General Legal Council and makes the Ghana School of Law independent.”
Osagyefo Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor
His comments highlight the broader discourse on the independence of legal education in Ghana, a topic that has been at the center of legal sector debates in recent years.
He re-echoed calls for the decoupling of the Ghana School of Law from the General Legal Council, arguing that the current system grants excessive control to the judiciary over legal education, stifling much-needed reforms.
While the nominations have been met with widespread approval, they have also reignited discussions on the broader need for structural changes within the legal profession.
Many practitioners, including Barker-Vormawor, believe that the GLC needs to adopt a more inclusive and forward-thinking approach to legal education, particularly in addressing the barriers to entry for aspiring lawyers.
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