
Godfred Yeboah Dame, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has called on the entire
citizenry to commit efforts and resources to support the Legal Aid and Law Reform funds.
He said the funds will transform the Legal Aid Commission and Law Reform Commission, and help
in enhancing access to justice delivery in the country.
“As the funds are permanent, individuals and institutions may commit themselves to make monthly or annual contributions. Lawyers may even decide to bequeath a part of their earthly possessions upon their death to the support of the Legal Aid Commission and the Law Reform Commission. I am in no doubt that, the two funds will enjoy the maximum support of all,” he said.
Speaking during the launch of the funds, Mr Yeboah Dame explained that the pillars of legal aid are
laid in the Constitution itself.
“Even though legal aid had been in existence since 1987 by dint of the Legal Aid Scheme Law, 1987
(PNDCL 184), clauses 2 and 3 of article 294 of the Constitution, taking account OF the centrality of
legal aid to the provision of access to justice for all persons in Ghana, reaffirmed legal aid by directing Parliament Ghana to enact laws providing for legal aid in matters it considered necessary, including the defence of the Constitution and other proceedings under the Constitution,” he said.
Pursuant to this, he noted, the erstwhile Legal Aid Scheme Act of 1997 (Act 542) was passed to
ensure the effective operation of the scheme in consonance with the Constitution.
Legal Aid Commission
He recounted that in 2018 it was fully equipped as the leading agency delivering professional and
quality legal services to the poor in society.
Subsequently, a new Legal Aid Commission Act was passed and assented to. by the President. This
law is the Legal Aid Commission Act, 2018 (Act 977).
“The then Legal Aid Scheme became a Commission with full powers of a corporate body, including
the capacity to enter into contracts on its own, and to acquire movable and immovable property for the performance of its functions,” he added.
According to the A-G, the legal aid was aimed at defending the indigent in society and provide free or inexpensive legal services to the underprivileged in various matters, civil or criminal.
He believes that the legal scheme, when effectively harnessed, would be a solid platform for the
achievement of equity, justice and fairness in the country. Mr Yeboah Dame pledged to ensure that
land is acquired for the construction of a permanent office for the Legal Aid Commission.
The Attorney General further disclosed government’s plan to build a new permanent office for the
Legal Aid Commission, while efforts were made for it to have a presence in every district of the
country.
“I hope that the current Board of the Commission led by His Lordship Justice Nene Amegatcher,
Justice of the Supreme Court as well as future boards, will come up with innovative means of
ensuring that sufficient contributions, donations and grants are made to the Fund, for a smooth
discharge of the noble objects of the Commission,” he stated.
Law Reform Commission
Touching on the fruits of the work of the Law Reform Commission, he said it had made a huge
contribution to the development of the legislation.
He, however, bemoaned the unremitting nature of the physical premises from which the Law Reform Commission operates, saying “the Commission is seriously understaffed and is unable to train lawyers to perform the functions it is tasked with”.
“Just like the Legal Aid Commission, the new law under which the Law Reform Commission was
established, provides for a Fund to be set up. Section 10 of Act 822 has prescribed for it, thus, the
setting up of the Law Reform Fund.
“Section 10 of Act 822 provides that the Fund will be managed by the Board and will be used to
undertake projects for the development and reform of laws, development of human resources in law reform and other purposes to be determined by the Board,” the A-G noted.
He hoped that the current Board, led by Mr Anthony Akoto Ampaw, would come up with innovative means of ensuring that sufficient contributions, donations and grants are made into the Fund.