Historic: two top women lawyers contest for Bar president, vice-president positions

Two leading female lawyers in Ghana are standing for the 2024 Ghana Bar Association (GBA) presidential and vice-presidential elections and the association could make history by choosing both of these outstanding legal practitioners when it votes on Wednesday (11 September 2024).

Efua Ghartey, a seasoned lawyer of over 30 years’ standing at the Bar and with an extensive track record of service to the GBA, is running for national president for the third time.

Her two previous attempts ended in a narrow loss to Tony Forson, the immediate past president of the GBA, and Yaw Boafo, the current national president, by thin margins of 67 and 65 votes, respectively.

Undeterred by these setbacks, Mrs Ghartey has spent the past six years consistently voicing her intention to lead the GBA.

Many believe that her perseverance, combined with her advocacy for women’s rights, makes her the favourite in this election. A victory for Mrs Ghartey would represent a shift towards a more progressive Bar.

Record of service

Running alongside her for the position of national vice-president is Victoria Barth, another highly accomplished legal professional, well known for her stellar academic career at the Ghana School of Law, where she has mentored and taught many young lawyers.

Mrs Barth’s candidacy has garnered significant support, especially among the younger members of the Bar. She was a key member of the legal team that represented President Nana Akufo-Addo during the 2021 election petition, further consolidating her legal prowess and reputation.

“Should the GBA elect both Mrs Ghartey and Mrs Barth to these top positions, it would mark a momentous occasion, breaking the association’s previous male-dominated leadership structure,” a leading member of the Bar told Asaase Radio, on condition of anonymity.

“This outcome would also send a powerful message of progressiveness and inclusivity, especially in the light of the recent passage of the Affirmative Action Act under the Akufo-Addo administration,” the senior member said.

“Electing these two accomplished women could signal a transformative era for the Bar, paving the way for more representation of women in leadership within the legal community,” the member said.

As the legal fraternity anticipates the results of the 11 September elections, the possibility of making double history remains a fascinating prospect.

All eyes will be on the GBA as its members cast their votes, potentially steering the association toward a future that reflects the diversity and dynamism of Ghana’s legal landscape.

Background

The Ghana Bar Association, a professional association of lawyers in Ghana, will elect its next president at its 2024 annual general conference, which will be running at the Great Hall of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) until Friday (13 September 2024).

Under the theme “Peaceful, Fair and Transparent Election: The Key to Sustainable Democracy”, the 2024 annual general conference will be the last to be presided over by the outgoing GBA president, Yaw Acheampong Boafo. After serving as the national secretary of the GBA, Acheampong Boafo was elected at the 2021 Bar conference as national president for a three-year term.

He took over the leadership of the Bar Association from Anthony Forson Jnr after Forson left office without seeking re-election, having served a full three-year term.

Acheampong Boafo beat Efua Ghartey by 605 votes (52.83%) to 540 votes (47.16%) in the election, held during the 2021 annual Bar Conference at the Fountain Gate Chapel in Bolgatanga, in the Upper East Region.

Three years on, Efua Ghartey is making a return bid for the GBA presidency. Her main contender this time round is Agbesi Kwadzo Dzakpasu, who is nine years her junior. Mrs Ghartey was called to the Bar in 1991: Dzakpasu was called in 2000.

Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra

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