Less than 40% of Ghanaians have wills – Lawyer warns
A legal practitioner at AB & David Africa, Daniel Nkrumah, has raised concerns over the low number of Ghanaians preparing wills, warning that the trend poses risks for families and could create long-term difficulties in inheritance matters.
Speaking on the Business Breakfast Show on Zed 101.9FM, Mr Nkrumah revealed that fewer than 40 percent of Ghanaians have wills, a figure he described as worrying.
“Currently, we are not even getting up to 40 percent of Ghanaians to create a will. If you add further complications to the process, it will create a lot of difficulty in the system,” he said.
The legal practitioner acknowledged that individuals are legally permitted to draft wills without the assistance of a lawyer but cautioned that professional guidance is often necessary to ensure validity and reduce disputes.
“Of course, you can always do it yourself. If you have studied the law and understand the procedure, you can go through and create everything. But you must substantially make sure that in areas requiring professional input, you also consider that,” he explained.
Mr Nkrumah stressed that lawyers bring critical expertise to the drafting process, going beyond simply writing down a person’s wishes.
“People think it is just pen and paper, or typing, so they ask, ‘Why can’t I do that myself?’ But when a lawyer drafts your will, he is not only recording your wishes. He is applying training to interpret the law, considering both short- and long-term consequences of every provision,” he stated.
According to him, careful wording is crucial, since courts rely heavily on the exact language used in a will when interpreting the testator’s intentions during disputes.
“Your will projects your intentions, and when it goes to court, the words you used become the primary source the judge relies on. That is why precise legal language is important,” he noted.
Mr Nkrumah urged Ghanaians to take the preparation of wills seriously, seek professional guidance when necessary, and avoid practices that could render their final wishes invalid.
