A four-year collaboration between the German Development Cooperation and Ghana's justice sector has culminated in significant reforms aimed at expanding access to justice, strengthening legal institutions and improving public access to legal information, with stakeholders describing the initiative as a milestone in the country's justice delivery system.

The achievements of the programme were highlighted during Legal Days 2026, organised to mark the successful completion of the Promotion of the Rule of Law and the Judiciary in Africa (PRoLA) project, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice on behalf of Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Over the past four years, the initiative brought together government institutions, the judiciary, legal practitioners, civil society organisations and development partners to promote legal empowerment, enhance institutional capacity and advance reforms designed to make justice more accessible, transparent and inclusive.

Speaking on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice, the Chief State Attorney, Frances Ansah, said the programme had made a meaningful contribution to justice sector development not only in Ghana but across participating African countries.

"Across Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Tanzania, and Ghana, this project has strengthened justice institutions and advanced a shared vision of justice that is accessible, fair, and trusted by all."

Among the flagship achievements of the project was the digitisation and publication of approximately 300,000 pages of legal materials, including legislation, court judgments and other legal resources, making them freely accessible to the public through online platforms.

The initiative was undertaken through collaboration involving the Ghana Legal Information Institute (GhaLII), AfricanLII, the Judicial Service of Ghana, Parliament and the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice.

Legal Days 2026 also witnessed the unveiling of an upgraded GhaLII platform together with MyGhaLII, which offers enhanced search capabilities and easier access to legal information for lawyers, judges, researchers, students and members of the public.

The organisers said the digital platform is expected to deepen transparency within the legal system while reducing barriers to accessing legal information.

The project also focused on improving access to justice for disadvantaged and underserved populations by strengthening community-based legal support systems.

More than 600 paralegals received specialised training to provide legal education, guidance and referral services within their communities.

As a result, over 9,300 people, particularly women and vulnerable groups, benefited from legal information, advisory support and referrals to appropriate institutions.

The programme also supported the preparation of a draft Legislative Instrument intended to establish a more structured regulatory framework for paralegal practice in Ghana.

Beyond community legal services, PRoLA invested in building professional capacity across several specialised areas of legal practice.

More than 510 professionals working in commercial law, alternative dispute resolution and legal advisory services participated in training and knowledge-sharing programmes designed to improve legal services for businesses and investors.

The initiative further supported efforts to strengthen judicial integrity through the practical application of the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct within Ghana's Judiciary.

The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ghana, Frederik Landshöft, reaffirmed Germany's commitment to supporting Ghana's democratic and legal institutions.

"Rule of law is not simply a legal principle; it protects rights, creates opportunities, and builds trust. Trust is the foundation of democracy and economic development.

Germany remains committed to working with Ghana, and we look forward to continuing our cooperation, particularly in strengthening transparent investment frameworks and effective dispute resolution that benefits generations."

Representing the Chief Justice, Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang said the benefits of the project would continue long after its official completion.

"The achievements of the project show the value of sustained collaboration in building a more accessible, responsive, and inclusive justice system."

He noted that stronger institutions, improved legal information systems and enhanced professional capacity would continue to support ongoing justice sector reforms.

The event brought together officials from the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Judicial Service, Parliament, the Ghana School of Law, the Legal Aid Commission, civil society organisations, development partners and members of the legal profession to assess the programme's achievements and discuss future collaboration in advancing the rule of law.

Although the PRoLA project has formally ended, participants stressed that its impact will continue through strengthened institutions, expanded public access to justice and enduring partnerships aimed at promoting fairness, accountability and confidence in Ghana's legal system.