Episode 4 (Intestate Succession Pt. 1)

This episode is the first of a two-part episode, which discusses Ghana's laws on intestacy. It has been about thirty-eight years since the Intestate Succession Law, 1985 (PNDCL 111) was enacted. The primary purpose of PNDCL 111 was to prevent members of the extended family from taking over the assets of the deceased for their own use, to the detriment of the surviving spouse and children of the deceased. However, in today’s modern society, PNDCL 111 appears to be outliving its usefulness due to changes in the Ghanaian family system. Accordingly, a new Intestate Succession Bill is currently pending before Parliament. Upon the passage of this Bill, there will be significant variations in the current law on succession, particularly, the distribution of property when a person dies intestate. Our guest speaker is Mrs. Sheila Y.N. Minkah-Premo Esq, a senior lawyer, development consultant, and human rights activist. She has personally worked with some NGOs on the development of several laws relating to family, including the Intestate Succession Bill. In this episode, we have conversations with her on intestate succession generally, as well as PNDCL 111 and its strengths and weaknesses.