Paramount Chief and law student Nana Amponsah has defended the growing interest in legal education following the call to the Ghana Bar of 1,568 new lawyers, arguing that the value of studying law extends beyond practising in court.

The 63rd Call to the Bar ceremony was held on October 9, 2026, at ICGC Christ Temple in Teshie, Accra, where the 1,568 newly qualified lawyers formally entered the legal profession.

Responding to criticism about the growing number of lawyers, Nana Amponsah argued that legal education equips people with essential skills for leadership, governance and dispute resolution.

“What these critics fail to understand is that more than 70% of the newly called lawyers are already established professionals, CEOs, businesspeople, heads of institutions, and even traditional leaders like myself,” he said.

According to him, the law governs virtually every sphere of life, making legal knowledge valuable not only to courtroom practitioners but also to people in business, public service and traditional leadership.

“Whether we acknowledge it or not, or whether we like it or not, the law governs virtually every sphere of life. That is precisely why, where financial circumstances permit, every family should aspire to have at least one member become a lawyer,” he stated.

Nana Amponsah, who is in his final year of legal studies, said his experience as a traditional ruler had reinforced the importance of understanding the law, particularly in resolving disputes within traditional communities.

He disclosed that he presides over mediation and adjudication in various disputes almost every week, arguing that traditional authority must be exercised in accordance with legal principles.

“Gone are the days when it was said that chiefs ruled and adjudicated matters through the exercise of power rather than the application of the law. In this dispensation, chiefs must rule and resolve disputes in accordance with the law,” he said.

He cited the Techiman Traditional Council as an example of the growing interest in legal education among traditional leaders, revealing that four other chiefs and two queen mothers, in addition to himself, are pursuing Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programmes.

One of the chiefs, he added, has already progressed to the Ghana School of Law’s Kumasi Campus. All the traditional leaders pursuing the programme are already employed in various professional fields.

Nana Amponsah also acknowledged the significant financial commitment and years of rigorous study required to qualify as a lawyer. However, he argued that the profession should not be judged solely by the cost of training or the number of graduates it produces.

He noted that legal education offers diverse career opportunities beyond government employment and should be valued for its broader contribution to society.

For him, the significance of the 1,568 new lawyers lies not only in the expansion of the legal profession but also in the potential application of their knowledge across different sectors.

“Ultimately, studying law is not merely about becoming a courtroom lawyer; it is about acquiring the knowledge and skills to lead, govern, protect rights, resolve disputes, and contribute meaningfully to society,” he said.

EA