Building capacity of paralegals necessary — Attorney-General

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has said training paralegals on relevant skills and regulations, including giving them legal backing to enhance the country’s justice system, was necessary.

He said beyond the traditional court settings, paralegals were also relevant in corporate entities, international bodies and regulatory agencies, hence the need to build their capacity.

“Their duties transcend basic legal support to the enhancement of justice delivery, fostering collaborations and building social cohesion,” Mr Dame said.

This was contained in a speech read by a Principal State Attorney, George Tetteh Sackey, on behalf of the A-G at the Paralegal Conference 2024, in Accra last Saturday.

The event was organised by the Centre for National Interest and Research-Ghana (CNIR-GH), in collaboration with the Institution of Paralegals & Legal Executives, and Africa Centre for Collaborative Dispute Resolution (AfCCoDR).

It was on the theme: “Enhancing access to justice delivery through effective paralegal, legal executive practice and effective collaboration.”

Roles

The A-G further said that roles of paralegals in corporate governance, human rights advocacy and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and their collaboration with lawyers, legal executives and institutions were critical in ensuring justice was served within and outside the courts.

He said paralegals were essential in bridging the gap between the marginalised in society and their inability to have access to legal services due to financial constraints.

“Their output can permeate a wide area of the legal profession. The contribution of paralegals to the growing area of ADR cannot be underestimated. They contribute meaningfully on the domestic and international scene in the conclusion of peaceful resolutions to otherwise contentious issues,” Mr Dame added.

Significance

The Executive Director of CNIR-GH, Dzabaku Kudiabor Ocansey, also said that the conference would promote collaboration among legal professionals, policymakers and stakeholders while improving the lawyer-to-population ratio to ensure greater access to justice for all.

He said it would establish standards for paralegal practice and education, foster innovation and technology adoption in the legal profession, and strengthen the role of paralegals in supporting justice delivery and national development.

Mr Ocansey, who was also the convenor of the conference, said the paralegal and legal executive space in the country was broad and crucial in addressing the challenges of the lawyer-to-population ratio and ensuring greater access to justice delivery for all.

He said the country was faced with significant barriers to justice due to high costs, bias and long delays, which prevented many citizens from accessing the formal justice system, especially in rural areas.

Mr Ocansey said the Legal Aid Commission, with support from UNDP Ghana and civil society organisations, had given effect to the provisions made in the Legal Aid Act 2018 through a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) in 2022.

He, however, said it was insufficient in regulating paralegals in the country and, therefore, urged the government to transform the current draft L.I. with the Attorney-General’s Office into an Act.

The Founder and President, AfCCoDR, Isaac Asare, said: “Chiefs and Queen Mothers can join in educating their people. They must also add it to their education system, capacity-building programmes and workshops so that they can be educated on this”.

The Vice Dean of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Law School, Dr Francisca Kusi-Appiah, said aside from financial constraints, most citizens were ignorant of avenues to access legal services.