AG concerned about high attrition rate as top prosecutors exit over poor pay

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic A. Ayine, has raised alarm over a growing wave of resignations from his office, attributing the high attrition rate to inadequate salaries and heavy workloads.

Speaking during a working visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Dr. Ayine revealed that a principal state attorney had recently tendered a resignation letter, citing financial pressures and the stark income disparity between public service and private legal practice.

Dr. Ayine appealed to the committee to champion better remuneration for state attorneys in Parliament. 

The committee, led by Shaibu Mahama, NDC MP for Daboya/Mankarigu, visited several institutions under the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General’s Department (MoJAGD), including the Ghana School of Law, the Office of the Registrar of Companies, and the Law Reform Commission, as part of their oversight responsibilities.

At the Ghana School of Law, Justice Yaw Kodie Oppong, who also serves as the school's director, called for reforms to enable the institution to independently offer both Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Qualifying Certificate in Law (QCL) programs. He stressed the need for the school to have its own statutory backing to improve legal education access and standards.

Meanwhile, Maame Samar Peprah, Acting Director of the Office of the Registrar of Companies, highlighted critical challenges such as outdated applications, insolvency backlogs, weak security, and staff shortages.

The Law Reform Commission also called for government support to boost its capacity with essential tools like reliable internet, vehicles, and computers.