Rockson‑Nelson Dafeamekpor, Majority Chief Whip and National President of the Ghana Law Society, has publicly rebuked the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) for allegedly overlooking key legal reforms at its national conference.
He argued that the GBA should have used the conference to discuss the Legal Education Act, 2026, which introduces a Council for Legal Education and Training and expands professional legal training beyond the Ghana School of Law. Dafeamekpor said the Act’s significance warranted a substantive debate by the country’s main professional lawyers’ body.
He also highlighted the Tribunals Act, which creates up to 254 district tribunals to broaden access to justice. The act was assented to by President John Dramani Mahama in August 2026 and provides the legal framework for tribunal operations.
According to Dafeamekpor, the GBA’s attention to matters such as illegal mining and other political issues diverted focus from reforms that directly affect the legal profession and justice delivery. He noted that the Ghana Law Society, which he leads, has its own stance on professional matters and should not be assumed to echo the GBA’s views.
His comments reflect a broader disagreement between the Ghana Law Society and the GBA over the association’s recent interventions on judicial and political matters, including remarks by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe‑Bonnie on state institutions.
Moving forward, Dafeamekpor urges professional legal bodies to prioritise substantive legal and institutional reforms and to contribute constructively to their implementation.
