Former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, has called for a renewed focus on quality in legal education, stressing that the effectiveness of Ghana’s justice system depends largely on the calibre of its legal practitioners.

Speaking at the 150th anniversary celebration of the Supreme Court of Ghana on Thursday, April 16, she emphasised that while expanding access to legal education is important, it must not come at the expense of producing competent and ethical professionals.

“One thing we should be constantly looking at is the quality of legal education. Legal education must be focused on quality more than on numbers… if you have to sacrifice anything, sacrifice the numbers for quality. Because quality justice is more valuable than a thousand and ten thousand and millions of lawyers who are of low quality,” she said.

Justice Akuffo noted that a strong and credible judiciary is built on the competence and integrity of those who serve within it, adding that reforms in legal training must strike the right balance between accessibility and excellence.

She also highlighted the importance of transparency in the justice system, describing it as key to accountability and public trust.

The former Chief Justice further reflected on the demanding nature of the judicial role, stating that judges must uphold fairness, continuously assess their work, and remain committed to delivering sound decisions.

She urged the judiciary to remain “fit for purpose” by adapting to evolving public expectations while staying grounded in constitutional principles.