Godfred Yeboah Dame, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has described the presidency of Mrs. Efua Ghartey at the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) as a “divine touch,” marking a historic moment in the legal community.
Mrs. Ghartey’s elevation to the presidency represents a watershed moment for the GBA, as she becomes the first woman in the association’s history to hold the position.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected GBA executives in Accra on Monday, November 4, 2024, Attorney General reflected on the significance of Mrs. Ghartey’s leadership.
He noted that her assumption of the role is a milestone not only in the history of the GBA but also in the broader context of women’s leadership in Ghana.
“For over a century, the leadership of the Bar has been predominantly male,” Dame remarked.
“But today, Mrs. Efua Ghartey has shattered that glass ceiling. Her presidency is a historic achievement, and indeed, it feels as if it has been divinely ordained.”
Mrs. Ghartey’s rise to the presidency is especially remarkable in the context of the GBA’s long history.
Since the association’s formation in 1887, with John Mensah Sarbah being the first Ghanaian indigene called to the Bar, and the establishment of its first constitution in 1958 under R. S. Blay, the position of president had always been held by men.
Mrs. Ghartey’s election is therefore a landmark event, marking the first time a woman has ascended to this prestigious role.
Dame expressed his satisfaction with the change in leadership, acknowledging that the GBA’s election of Mrs. Ghartey as president was a direct response to his previous remarks on the underrepresentation of women in the Bar’s leadership.
In a speech made on November 1, 2021, he had urged the Bar to provide more opportunities for competent women to take up leadership positions within the association.
“The Bar must have listened intently to this soft admonition, and I am pleased to see the Bar respond so emphatically,” Dame said.
“Today, we can proudly say that the GBA is being led by women, with Mrs. Efua Ghartey as president and Mrs. Victoria Barth as vice-president. Congratulations to both of them.”
