Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has rejected claims that the country has an oversupply of lawyers, arguing instead that the real challenge lies in the unequal distribution of legal professionals across the country.
Speaking on Starr Chat, hosted by Bola Ray, on Thursday, January 15, 2026, Dr. Ayine described the perception that Ghana has “too many lawyers” as misleading, noting that access to legal services remains severely limited in many parts of the country, particularly in rural and underserved regions.
“There is this false notion out there that Ghana has too many lawyers. That is not the case,” he said, explaining that the majority of legal practitioners are concentrated in major urban centres such as Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tema. He added that even within these cities, the demand for legal services continues to exceed supply due to population pressures.
Dr. Ayine highlighted the stark disparity between urban and rural Ghana, citing the Upper East Region as an example where the total number of lawyers, including state attorneys, does not exceed 15. He described the situation as grossly inadequate for an entire region and a major barrier to access to justice.
The Attorney General further pointed out that the shortage of lawyers affects local governance, noting that several district assemblies operate without legal officers despite statutory requirements. “The Local Governance Act requires district assemblies to have legal departments, yet many of them do not have lawyers,” he said.
According to Dr. Ayine, the absence of legal professionals in rural areas undermines justice delivery, weakens local administration, and leaves many citizens without proper legal guidance or representation.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Barbara Yeboah
