Akufo-Addo congratulates GBA new leadership, Efua Ghartey, Victoria Barth

President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has congratulated the newly elected president of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Mrs Efua Ghartey,  and Mrs Victoria Osei-Bonsu Barth,  newly elected vice president as well as the all other elected executives of the Association.

In a post on his X handle, President Akufo-Addo wrote; “A hearty congratulations to Mrs Efua Ghartey and Mrs Victoria Osei-Bonsu Barth on their remarkable victory in this year’s Ghana Bar Association elections!”

“Mrs Ghartey’s determination and perseverance have finally been rewarded as she becomes the first female National President of the Bar Council after three attempts. As a member of the Bar, I am elated to live to see this day when the Bar is led by a woman.

“As President of the Republic, this victory is even more significant as it coincides with the recent passage of the Affirmative Action Act, making it an even more powerful statement in the journey towards gender equality,” President Akufo-Addo said In his post.

“For over a century, the legal profession in Ghana has been dominated by men, but this moment marks a turning point. Mrs Ghartey and Mrs. Barth have shattered the glass ceiling, and in doing so, they have paved the way for many more young women to believe in their dreams and rise to the highest levels of leadership.

“Their victory is more than a personal triumph; it is a beacon of hope for every woman and girl aspiring to take up space in traditionally male-dominated fields. The cycle has indeed been broken, and the future is bright. Bravo to these two exceptional women—your achievements will inspire future generations!,” the President’s post further read.

The Bar election

Members of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) on Wednesday, 11 September 2024, elected two leading lawyers from their fold as President and Vice President. They are Efua Ghartey (president) and Victoria Barth (vice-president). Mrs Ghartey will succeed Yaw Acheampong Boafo who has served as the GBA president from September 2021 and Mrs Victoria Osei-Bonsu Barth will replace Kwasi Amoako Adjei.

Efua Ghartey won 1,279 votes representing 54.24% of the valid votes cast to beat her contender, Agbesi Dzakpasu, who polled 1,060 votes (44.95%).

Mrs Victoria Osei-Bonsu Barth won 1,624 votes (or 68.87%) while her challenger, Ebenezer Kwatoo, secured 495 votes, representing 20.99% of the valid votes cast.

The GBA’s election of both Mrs Ghartey and Mrs Barth to these top positions marks a momentous occasion, breaking with the association’s previous male-dominated leadership structure.

Resilience 

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

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

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

Many believed that her perseverance, combined with her advocacy for women’s rights, made her the favourite in today’s election and that victory for Mrs Ghartey would represent a shift towards a more progressive Bar.

Record of service

Mrs Victoria Osei-Bonsu Barth is a 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 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.

Background

The Ghana Bar Association, a professional association of lawyers in Ghana, elected its next president at its 2024 annual general conference, held in the Great Hall of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) today (Wednesday 11 September 2024).

Under the theme “Peaceful, Fair and Transparent Election: The Key to Sustainable Democracy”, the 2024 annual general conference is 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 Bar Conference at the Fountain Gate Chapel in Bolgatanga, in the Upper East Region.

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

Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra

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