The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Yaw Acheampong Boafo, has advocated for increased employment opportunities for lawyers beyond the national capital, Accra.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new office complex for the office of the Attorney General, known as ‘The Law House,’ Mr Boafo emphasised the necessity of expanding legal services across the country.

Mr Boafo highlighted the pressing need for a stronger legal presence in regions outside Accra, stressing that this would enhance access to justice and legal representation for all Ghanaians. 

He pointed out that the current concentration of legal professionals in the capital creates disparities in legal support and services.

He particularly underscored the urgency of establishing a Greater Accra Regional office and additional district offices for the Attorney General. 

This expansion, he noted, would significantly alleviate the workload on police officers who are frequently tasked with handling prosecutions in lower courts.

“I am aware there has been an increasing number of lawyers who apply to be employed at the office of the Attorney General. The time has come for the establishment of a Greater Accra Regional Office and district offices of the Attorney General."

“There can be no valid reason for the continual practice of the police officers conducting prosecution mainly at the lower courts.

“Reasonable evidence abounds of the many instances in which charges have been struck out and the accused person discharged or acquitted at our court either for the tardiness or the lack of the knowledge of procedural and evidential rule on the part of some police prosecutors," he said.

About 'The Law House' project

The Law House project, initiated in 2001, was originally slated for completion in May 2004. However, it faced delays, leading to its termination and subsequent re-awarding on January 10, 2023, with final completion achieved in June 2024.

The project spanned the administrations of four presidents: John Agyekum Kufuor, John Evans Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Initially planned as an eight-story office building, the project was later revised to a ten-story structure with a two-level basement.

The final design includes conference rooms, 130 office spaces, 120 parking lots, an eating area, and various other facilities, significantly enhancing its capacity and functionality.