The University of Ghana School of Law has launched the Ghana Supreme Court Review and the first publication in its new book series, Administrative Law in Ghana – Principles, Practice and Comparative Perspectives, in a move aimed at strengthening Ghanaian legal scholarship and reducing reliance on foreign legal literature.

The launch, held on Tuesday, October 20, at the University of Ghana School of Law Auditorium, brought together members of the judiciary, academia, legal practitioners and other stakeholders.

The event was chaired by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, and attended by the Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie; the Chief Justice of The Gambia, Justice Hassan Bubacar Jallow; judges of the superior and lower courts; and faculty members.

Also present were the Dean of the University of Ghana School of Law, Prof Peter Atudiwe Atupare; Dean of the UPSA Law School, Prof Ernest Kofi Abotsi; and Head of the Department of Law and Public Policy at Ashesi University, Prof Maame A.S. Mensa-Bonsu.

Copies are available for GHS 300. To order call 0246390969

Copies are available for GHS 300. To order call 0246390969

Strengthening Ghanaian Legal Scholarship

Speaking at the launch, Prof Amfo said the publications would provide an important knowledge resource for law students while encouraging them to contribute to legal scholarship.

She said the initiative could also deepen collaboration among the judiciary, academics, policymakers and the University of Ghana School of Law through scholarly initiatives.

She commended the Law School for undertaking the project and urged it to ensure that the publications are accessible to their intended audience. She also assured the School of the continued support of the University's management.

Prof Atupare, meanwhile, stressed the need to develop and appreciate Ghanaian legal scholarship. He explained that the Ghana Supreme Court Review is not intended merely as a critique of the country's apex court, but as a companion and mirror through which scholars and practitioners can examine the principles emerging from the Supreme Court.

The Review brings together contributions from several Ghanaian legal scholars, including Prof Mensa-Bonsu, Prof Abotsi, Dr Maame Efua Addadzi-Koom, Dr Nuhu Yidana, Dr Rowland Atta-Kesson, Mr Daniel Bioyel Bowel, Mr Frederick Agaaya Adongo, Mr. Martin Waana-ang, Mr. Thomas Kojo Quansah, and Mr. Abdul Jalil Issah.

Professor Atupare also announced Mr Francis Ontonyin as his co-editor for the Administrative Law in Ghana book. He noted that English legal literature has long occupied a dominant position within Ghana's legal system and said the new publications seek to address the gap by producing legal texts grounded in the Ghanaian legal order.

The School is expected to expand the series with publications covering constitutional law, jurisprudence, company law, immovable property and the law of torts.

Reducing Dependence on Foreign Legal Materials

Reflecting on the Ghana Supreme Court Review, Professor Mensa-Bonsu highlighted some of the challenges Ghanaian scholars face in publishing locally relevant legal research. She noted the difficulty of finding Ghanaian journals in which to publish, while international journals may reject Ghana-focused scholarship because it does not fit the interests of their audiences. Access to published academic work can also remain difficult. She therefore encouraged law students to read and engage with the new publications, describing them as the future generation of legal scholars.

Professor Abotsi, reflecting on Administrative Law in Ghana, said the textbook would help end the overdependence on foreign materials in understanding the nuances of Ghanaian administrative law. He noted that the book is grounded in Ghana's Constitution, providing a locally rooted treatment of the subject.

Supreme Court Decisions Do Not End Legal Thought — Chief Justice

Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie welcomed the Supreme Court Review as an important platform for sustained scholarly engagement with decisions of the country's highest court. He observed that while Supreme Court decisions may bring litigation to an end, they do not bring legal thought and intellectual engagement to an end. The Review, he said, brings together scholars, academics and lawyers to critically engage with decisions of the Supreme Court and the principles underlying them.

On Administrative Law in Ghana, the Chief Justice said the subject goes to the authority exercised by institutions, the fairness of administrative processes and the principles governing the constitutional exercise of public power. The launch marks an effort by the University of Ghana School of Law to expand the body of legal literature produced from within Ghana and provide students, practitioners, judges and scholars with materials reflecting the country's own constitutional and legal experience.