Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament calls for reforms to be assessed by their impact on citizens — MyJoyOnline
Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Alban Bagbin called for legal reforms that solve real problems and make the justice system more effective for citizens. He said this at the first annual conference of the Ghana Law Society’s legal community, MyJoyOnline reports.
According to Bagbin, the success of reforms should not be measured by the number of laws adopted. He named expanding access to justice, strengthening accountability, protecting rights and freedoms, and the practical benefit of legislation for ordinary citizens as the main criteria.
Implementation of laws and access to court
The speaker warned that the mere adoption of a legislative act does not guarantee justice, especially if it cannot be properly implemented. He also stressed that constitutional rights remain unattainable for people who have no real opportunity to defend them.
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Bagbin called for assessing the work of the justice system not only through the content of laws, but also through its practical functioning. Among the issues he proposed considering are citizens’ access to judicial protection, providing courts with resources, the timeframes for hearing cases, and the remuneration of people who administer justice.
The role of lawyers in change
According to him, lawyers should participate in the development of Ghana’s legal and constitutional system rather than limit themselves to applying existing rules. He noted that legal professionals must not only understand legislation, but also assess whether it corresponds to a changing society.
The speaker pointed out that technology, commerce, crime, environmental changes, and everyday social changes create new challenges for legal systems. At the same time, he warned against reforms for the sake of change itself. Within the framework of constitutional reform in Ghana, Bagbin called for checking whether the proposed solutions can be implemented, whether institutions have the necessary capacity, and what the long-term consequences of such steps will be.
