The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has officially handed over a 1.12-acre parcel of prime land at Adum in Kumasi to the Ghana School of Law for the construction of a modern campus, in a move set to significantly expand access to legal education in Ghana.
The ceremony, held on Monday, July 28, 2025, marks a historic milestone toward decentralizing professional legal training, which has long been concentrated in Accra.
The land, situated behind the Ministries enclave, will pave the way for the establishment of Ghana’s second permanent law school campus outside the capital.
The Asantehene’s gesture builds on his earlier efforts that led to the establishment of the Kumasi satellite campus of the Ghana School of Law at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in 2010.
That facility has since served hundreds of students from the northern and middle belts of the country.
Speaking on behalf of Otumfuo, the Paramount Chief of the Sampa Traditional Area, Nana Samgba Gyafla II, emphasized the Ashanti Kingdom’s long-standing commitment to education and the rule of law.
He noted that legal education is crucial for Ghana’s democratic and developmental aspirations.
The planned Kumasi campus will feature modern lecture theatres, a moot court, staff offices, student hostels, a clinic, a banking facility, legal firms, shops for legal regalia, and other essential infrastructure to support holistic legal training.
Acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, described the initiative as transformative, saying it will help ensure that aspiring lawyers gain practical training close to the courts.
He added that the facility would serve as a symbol of Ghana’s collective commitment to justice and the rule of law.
Director of the Ghana School of Law, Justice Nana Barima Yaw Kodie Oppong, recounted the challenges students have faced over the years, particularly the need to relocate to Accra for professional law programmes.
He noted that prior to the Kumasi campus’s establishment, becoming a lawyer without attending the Makola campus in Accra was nearly impossible.
“Approval was secured in 2010 to begin the Kumasi campus, and this year marks the 15th anniversary of that important achievement,” he said, expressing optimism that the new facility will further decentralize legal education and promote equity in access across Ghana.
