Former President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Sam Okudzeto, has voiced strong criticism over Parliament’s passage of the Legal Education Bill, 2025, arguing that the legal profession was sidelined in reforms that fundamentally alter its training and regulation.
The bill, passed last week, ends the Ghana School of Law’s monopoly, opening the door for accredited universities to provide professional legal education. It also establishes a Council for Legal Education and Training to oversee the new national bar examination framework.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, Okudzeto said it was concerning that the GBA—a body representing lawyers nationwide—was not consulted during the legislative process.
“I had one complaint in the first place: the Ghana Bar Association was not involved at all, which I thought was rather strange,” he said, emphasizing that the Bar’s council, composed of regional representatives, spans the entire country, not just Accra or Kumasi.
Okudzeto explained that despite attempts to engage Parliament, including an application to appear before the relevant council, the Association was never given the opportunity to contribute.
“We only became aware of the law after it had already been passed. That’s a serious matter,” he stated.
He stressed that Parliament has a duty to consult professional bodies when legislating on issues that directly impact their members. “Anytime Parliament is confronted with an issue relating to a profession, the professional body should be involved,” Okudzeto added.
The Legal Education Bill marks a historic change in Ghana’s legal training system, but Okudzeto’s concerns highlight a broader debate about inclusive policy-making and stakeholder engagement in reforms affecting professional sectors.
