Legal Education Reform Act a game-changer for Ghana's justice system — Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has described the newly assented Legal Education Reform Act, 2026, as a major step toward expanding access to professional legal training in Ghana.

The bill, passed by Parliament in 2026, received presidential assent on Thursday, May 11.

It comes amid increasing concerns over the country’s legal education system, particularly the limited admissions capacity at the Ghana School of Law.

For years, many LLB graduates have struggled to gain admission into the professional law programme required for qualification and eventual call to the Bar.

A key provision in the new law removes the long-standing monopoly of the Ghana School of Law and permits accredited tertiary institutions to run professional legal education programmes.

In a social media post on Tuesday, President Mahama said the legislation would improve access to legal education while preserving professional standards.

“The Legal Education Act is a game-changer for our justice system. By ending the exclusive authority of the Ghana School of Law over professional legal education, we are introducing healthy competition and opening doors for more institutions to provide high-quality training,” he stated.

According to the President, the reform would create opportunities for many aspiring lawyers who have long faced barriers in accessing professional legal training.

“This ensures that we maintain the highest standards while creating the space many aspiring lawyers have long waited for,” he added.

President Mahama also announced that he had assented to two other bills before departing Accra for Nairobi.

The other laws are the Value for Money Office Act and the Governance Advisory Council Act.

He explained that the Value for Money Office Act would strengthen oversight of government spending and contracts to prevent waste and inflated costs.

On the Governance Advisory Council Act, the President said the legislation forms part of his administration’s efforts to deepen accountability, strengthen good governance and combat corruption.