A total of 824 newly qualified lawyers were called to the Bar last Friday after successfully passing the bar examination. Notable among the new lawyers were journalists, teachers, and persons with physical disabilities.
The event, held at the Accra International Conference Centre, brought together the new lawyers, their families, friends, and well-wishers.
The journalists among the cohort include Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson of the Daily Graphic; Joseph Kofi Frimpong Ackah-Blay and Sixtus Don Ulo, both of Media General; and Yvonne Ofei of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
According to the General Legal Council, the number of lawyers in Ghana has grown from just over 2,000 in 2010 to more than 6,500 in 2024. Despite this, the country still maintains a ratio of approximately one lawyer per 5,000 citizens—far below the Commonwealth average.
The Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie; the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akurutinga Ayine; his Deputy, Dr Justice Edem Srem-Sai; Prof. Raymond Atuguba, Director of Legal Education at the Ghana School of Law; and Mrs Efua Ghartey, President of the Ghana Bar Association, took turns to hand certificates to the new lawyers.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie advised the new lawyers to uphold the core values of the legal profession. He said the profession they had chosen was noble and required practitioners to be truthful and diligent. He urged them to be compassionate toward clients and those who seek their services, stressing that they should look beyond personal interests and serve the marginalised and vulnerable in society.
“You have chosen a path that demands courage, but it is a path that leads to purpose and fulfilling greatness. Congratulations again, our newly qualified lawyers. May you serve with humility and purpose, and above all, let your integrity shine,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said.
The Chief Justice also commented on the ongoing debates about legal education in Ghana, where calls for reform have intensified in recent years. He cautioned that expansion must not come at the expense of quality.
“We must, however, ensure that the reforms we seek do not merely expand the numbers but truly refine the very purpose of legal education in Ghana in the 21st century,” he added.
Meanwhile, Latifa Teiya Fuseini, a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, emerged as the best graduating student.
This year’s call to the Bar marks one of the largest cohorts in recent years, reflecting the increasing demand for legal services in Ghana’s rapidly evolving economy.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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