The Member of Parliament for South Dayi and Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has urged judges criticising the proposed Legal Education Bill to clearly distinguish their roles and frame their concerns constructively.
Speaking on Face to Face on Channel One TV on Tuesday, February 17, Dafeamekpor emphasised that while diverse opinions are essential in a democracy, members of the judiciary should avoid blurring the lines between their judicial functions and other capacities, such as teaching.
“Judges don’t make laws. It is Parliament that makes laws. They [judges] interpret the laws, they don’t teach the law as judges, they teach the law as teachers,” he stated.
“They should stop confusing their role as teachers with their role as judges. I think it is one of the problems we have. If you are criticising the bill as a teacher, you say so, then we will tell you that these are the principles behind the introduction of the bill,” he added.
Dafeamekpor stressed that the ongoing debate on the bill should centre on enhancing legal training, broadening access to professional qualification, and upholding high standards in the legal profession, rather than being overshadowed by institutional conflicts.
The Legal Education Reform Bill, currently before Parliament, aims to overhaul Ghana’s legal education system, which has faced longstanding criticism over restricted access to professional training, overcrowding at the Ghana School of Law, and inconsistencies in admission processes.
Key provisions of the bill include establishing a clearer regulatory framework, defining the roles of institutions involved in lawyer training, bolstering oversight, and creating additional pathways for graduates to qualify professionally.
A primary goal is to increase opportunities for law graduates to undertake professional training without compromising the quality and standards demanded by the legal profession.