Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has announced major reforms to Ghana’s call-to-the-Bar system, ending long-standing perceptions of inequality between the former “main core” and “mini core.”

Speaking at the induction of a new batch of students at the Ghana School of Law, Kumasi campus, he said the “mini core” will now be called the March Call, while the “main core” remains the October Call, with both carrying equal professional and ceremonial significance.

“There shall be no difference in perceived status, no difference in professional recognition, and no difference in quality. The March Call will be conducted in the same spirit, with the same dignity, and under the same standards as the October Call,” he declared.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also hinted at the possibility of holding call ceremonies in Kumasi to ease travel for students, emphasizing that seniority measured in hours or days should not determine professional standing.

He reminded students that entering the legal profession requires more than academic brilliance. “The path before you will demand more than intelligence. It will demand courage; courage to defend principle when it is unpopular, courage to uphold ethics when compromise is convenient, and courage to remain faithful to the law when personal interest suggests otherwise,” he said, highlighting that legal education is an initiation into a public trust that safeguards rights, resolves conflicts, and sustains the rule of law.