The newly incorporated Ghana Law Society (GLS) has formally introduced its executives to the recently nominated Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie pledging its full support for his leadership and commitment to deepening the administration of justice in the country.
Lawyer Samuel Atukwei Ouaye, General Secretary of the Ghana Law Society, addressed the press, confirming that the visit was primarily to congratulate the Chief Justice on his elevation and to assure him of the GLS’s readiness to collaborate with the Judiciary.
”We are first and foremost lawyers, and as part of the Bar, it is crucial that we do everything possible to help deepen democracy and ensure a fair and just administration of justice in this country,” Lawyer Atukwei stated. “We have come to assure him of our support and to formally introduce the Ghana Law Society, as he will be the head of the Judiciary in Ghana.”
GLS Objectives and Growth
The General Secretary highlighted the core mission of the GLS, which includes supporting the Judiciary in the administration of justice, bolstering the legal profession, and defending the nation’s democracy. The GLS, which was incorporated in 2022, now boasts a formidable membership of over 500 lawyers.
Addressing concerns about the emergence of a new lawyers’ body alongside the established Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Lawyer Atukwei Quaye invoked the constitutional guarantee of freedom of association, drawing a parallel to the growth of institutions in other sectors.
”Our constitution makes room for freedom of association. As the country grows, institutions also grow,” he explained. “The Ghana Law Society is simply another organization of lawyers that has come up, and we believe the country will accept and support it to grow.”
Commitment to Complement, Not Rival
He was emphatic that the GLS’s mission is to complement the efforts of the Ghana Bar Association, not to challenge or rival it. He stressed that both organizations share the exact same objective: to support the administration of justice, the Judiciary, and the nation’s democracy.
”We have well over 7,000 lawyers in Ghana, and one association cannot administer all of them,” he noted. “We want to complement their efforts. At the right time, we will have programs together so that Ghanaians will know that we are not here to fight or to rival them, but we are here to support what they are already doing.”
The GLS executives, accompanied by its founding fathers, reaffirmed their dedication to helping the justice system flourish in Ghana.
Story: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
