Joseph Kpemka is a former Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice
Former Deputy Attorney General Joseph Kpemka has cautioned against a hasty expansion of legal education in Ghana, warning that it could result in the production of “legal charlatans” who may undermine the credibility and progress of the legal profession.
Speaking on ChannelOne TV’s “Point of View” show on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, Kpemka stressed the need for a careful and balanced approach to the proposed reforms currently under consideration.
According to him, while expansion is necessary, it must not come at the cost of quality.
“I’ve had quite a number of interactions with very prominent people and very senior lawyers on this topic. It’s a delicate balance. We must not completely write off the current approach, nor should we embrace the new proposal without caution,” he noted.
The former Deputy AG, who previously served on the General Legal Council, revealed that some law faculties in the country fall short of the required standards to even run LLB programmes.
He cited poor infrastructure, unqualified staff, and a profit-driven motive as challenges plaguing some institutions.
“If care is not taken, we will destroy the very foundation of legal education,” he warned.
“Some faculties are driven purely by money. If we open up and allow every LLB faculty to run professional law courses, we may regret this move in a few years,” he added.
Kpemka advocated for strict caveats and quality benchmarks for any institution that wishes to offer professional law courses, urging policymakers to “hasten slowly” and preserve the integrity of Ghana’s legal system.
AS/VPO
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