Member of Parliament for South Dayi and Majority Chief Whip, Honourable Rockson-Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor, has disclosed that dissatisfaction with the Ghana Bar Association’s handling of professional and student welfare contributed to the formation of the Ghana Law Society.
He explained that years of frustration over issues affecting members and prospective lawyers eventually created the need for a new professional platform.
“Most of the disgruntled members have taken a backstage. Check the number of lawyers who are members of the GBA, and check the number of lawyers who attend their programs and participate in decision-making.”
Honourable Rockson Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor
Honourable Dafeamekpor, who served as the first interim president of the Young Lawyers Forum of the Ghana Bar Association, traced the development of the new society to his earlier experience within the profession. He recalled that the Young Lawyers Forum was established around 2011 after the leadership of the Bar adopted a model from the International Bar Association.
The South Dayi MP explained that although the Young Lawyers Forum was created as an official structure, it was not fully integrated into the Bar until after its original leadership left office. He noted that the experience shaped his understanding of the importance of structures that actively represent younger members of the profession.
According to the Majority Chief Whip, his dissatisfaction with the GBA deepened over its handling of issues involving law students. He cited instances in which students facing difficulties with legal education and admission processes had sought his intervention as a public official.
Referring to the controversy involving 499 law students, Honourable Dafeamekpor stated that affected students approached him with a petition after their progression became disputed. He indicated that he advised them to pursue legal action while the matter was also being pursued through Parliament.
He further recalled the 2017 controversy surrounding admission to the Ghana School of Law. The South Dayi MP noted that Parliament eventually compelled the General Legal Council to remove the interview component of the admission process after concerns were raised about how prospective students were being assessed.
Beyond student admission, Honourable Dafeamekpor argued that the GBA has not done enough to advance the welfare of its own members. He contrasted this with the Ghana Law Society’s proposed approach which includes a life insurance policy.
“We are reserving 20% of our dues for insurance policy for our members,” he stated. The Majority Chief Whip also criticised the GBA’s limited engagement with professional issues requiring stronger advocacy. He emphasised that when members believe their concerns are not receiving adequate attention, they are entitled to seek alternative avenues within the freedom of association guaranteed by the Constitution.
Majority Chief Whip Says GLS Not Challenging GBA’s Existence
Majority Chief Whip and South Dayi MP, Honourable Rockson Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor clarified that the newly established Ghana Law Society is not intended to compete with or replace the Ghana Bar Association.
The Majority Chief Whip stressed that membership of the two bodies is not mutually exclusive. He emphasised that lawyers should be free to belong to more than one professional association under Ghana’s constitutional guarantee of freedom of association.
Honourable Dafeamekpor, who remains a member of the GBA, explained that “being a member of GLS does not require lawyers to withdraw from the existing association,” pointing to his continued membership of the GBA as evidence that the two organisations can operate alongside each other.
The South Dayi MP instead identified the central disagreement as the GBA’s claim to exclusive representation on statutory bodies because of its specific mention in the 1992 Constitution. He challenged the interpretation that this constitutional recognition prevents another professional association of lawyers from being established.
Honourable Dafeamekpor explained that the Constitution was drafted within the professional associations that existed at the time. He argued that the specific reference to the GBA should not automatically be interpreted as granting it a monopoly over the representation of lawyers.
“GBA cannot claim that they are the only entity mentioned specifically in the Constitution, so they are the only entity that can exist,” he argued. He stressed that such an interpretation would undermine the constitutional right of citizens to freely form and join associations.
Furthermore, he also rejected suggestions that the Ghana Law Society was established as a political organisation because several individuals associated with the NDC attended its launch. Honourable Dafeamekpor pointed out that political affiliation does not determine membership of the new body and insisted that lawyers from different political backgrounds can belong to it.
Additionally, he explained that invitations to the launch extended beyond political figures. The President was invited but could not attend because of his participation in the United Nations General Assembly, while the Chief Justice was also unable to attend because of a conflicting conference involving judges and magistrates.
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