{
  "id": 7550082,
  "title": "Sam Okudzeto faults AG for lack of consultation on proposed Standard Board Bill",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/sam-okudzeto-faults-ag-for-lack-of-consultation-on-proposed-standard",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T12:34:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/sam-okudzeto-faults-ag-for-lack-of-consultation-on-proposed-standard-board-bill/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Sam Okudzeto, has criticized Attorney General Dr Dominic Ayine's proposed Legal Practitioners' Standard Board Bill, alleging that the Bar should have been consulted prior to presenting it to Cabinet. The legislation aims to address the current practice where legal practitioners and judges rule on complaints of unprofessional conduct against their peers. During a Monday, September 14 GBA Conference in Ada, Mr Okudzeto expressed surprise at the sudden announcement and reiterated that the government cannot take decisions impacting the legal profession without first consulting the Bar. In an interview with JoyNews, he emphasized the necessity of consultation before any legislation affecting lawyers is considered. \"It's a wrong approach to legislation. If you want to make a law affecting people, you consult them first. You get their views. But to go to Cabinet without consulting the Bar, you are not the Bar. You are not elected by the Bar,\" he said. Mr Okudzeto maintained that his 63 years of legal practice exposed him to successive attorneys general, and the relationship between the bar and the Attorney General's Department has traditionally been cordial. He argued that the Attorney General should have sought input from the Bar before proceeding with the draft legislation, urging lawyers and judges to be included in discussions concerning the legal profession. If the Attorney General had concerns requiring legislation, he should have discussed them with the Bar before taking action. \"Something is disturbing you; you come to the bar, and you discuss it with them. Or you send them a memo, they will say, 'Let's talk about it.' Perhaps you did not understand it,\" he said. The Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Srem-Sai, responded to Okudzeto's concerns, claiming that the consultation stage had not yet begun, stating that consultation opportunities would arise during the legislative process. He clarified that consultation would occur post-Cabinet approval, pre-Bill drafting, and before presenting the bill to Parliament. Mr Srem-Sai assured that the legal community would have ample opportunity to voice their opinions throughout the law-making process, thus dismissing any concerns that the proposed legislation could be enacted without input from the Bar or the broader legal community. He further defended the announcement at the GBA Conference, as he perceives it as the most significant platform for lawyers in the country.",
  "summary": "Former President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Sam Okudzeto, has criticised the Attorney General's Dr Dominic Ayine's proposed Legal Practitioners’ Standard Board Bill, arguing that the Bar should have been consulted before the proposal was taken to Cabinet.",
  "key_points": [
    "Attorney General's proposed Legal Practitioners Standard Board Bill lacks Bar consultation.",
    "Sam Okudzeto, former GBA president, criticizes lack of Bar input in legislation.",
    "Deputy Attorney General assures future consultation opportunities during legislative process."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}