A Simplified Guide to Making Wills in Ghana

A Simplified Guide to Making Wills in Ghana

The main object of this article is to simplify the law on the making of wills to the layman’s understanding.

A will is simply a legal document by which a person expresses his or her wishes as to how his or her properties should be distributed at death. However, not every writing of such intention will qualify as a valid will upon the death of the person making it (the “Testator”). Thus, it is important for any person intending to make a Will to do so in accordance with the rules as provided for in the Wills Act, 1971 (Act 360).

Making a will in accordance with the law will avoid unnecessary litigation upon the death of the Testator. Also, a will not made in compliance with the law will be declared invalid by the court. The subsequent paragraphs summarize the requirements for executing a valid will in Ghana.

Capacity

Any person eighteen (18) years and above can make a will in Ghana. The will must be in writing expressing how the properties owned by the Testator are to distributed. The exception here is that persons of unsound mind who are incapable of understanding the nature of their actions are not qualified to make a will. Thus, at the time of making the will, the Testator must be of sound mind so as to be capable of understanding the legal consequences of his actions. Where it is proved that at the time of making the will, the Testator lacked the mental capacity such that he did not understand his acts, the court will invalidate the will.

 Property

It is only property either owned by the Testator or that the Testator would be entitled to at the time of his death that can form the subject matter of the will. What this means is that a person cannot make a will disposing of properties belonging to another person or properties he is not entitled to.

Signatures and Attestation

The Testator must sign the will or in the event where he cannot sign, direct for the will to be signed on his behalf by some other person. The signature of the Testator or the person signing on his behalf must be underneath the dispositions made or the directions given in the will. Any direction or disposition made after the signature will not be validated by the court. Thus, the Testator must ensure that his signature appears as the last thing after all directions or dispositions are made.

Often, persons making wills tend to insert after the signature and attestation clause, properties which they have omitted to put in the will before signing. In such circumstances, the law provides a number of options. The first option is to make an alteration to the will. The second option is to make the will again. The third option is to make a supplementary document (referred to as a codicil) incorporating those additions or changes to the initial will.

The signature of the Testator is required to be made or acknowledged by him in the presence of two or more witnesses present at the same time. Where the Testator directs another person to sign on his behalf, the signature of this other person shall be made in the presence of the Testator and two or more witnesses present at the same time. The witnesses shall sign and attest to the will in the presence of the Testator. It must be noted that the witnesses need not see the content of the will. They are only to attest to the signature of the Testator or the person signing on his behalf. Where the Testator is blind or illiterate, a competent person shall carefully read over and explain to him the contents of the will before it is executed, and shall declare in writing that he had read over and explained its contents to the Testator and that the Testator understands it before it was executed.

Executors

An executor is a person appointed to administer the estate of a person who has died leaving a will. The executors are nominated in the will. Unless there is a valid objection, the court will appoint the person or persons named in the will to be executor(s). The executors must ensure that the person’s desires expressed are put into effect. Practical responsibilities include gathering up and protection of the assets of the estate, obtaining information with regards to all the beneficiaries named in the will and any other potential heirs, collecting and arranging for payment of debts of the estate and so on. The executors’ duties are very crucial to the administration of the estate of the Testator after his or her death. One must take due care in appointing his or her executors in a will. In Ghana, any person of or above the age of twenty-one (21) years can be appointed as an executor and such an executor may attest to the will as well.

Alterations

Mistakes are bound to happen in the making of will. And of course, people change their minds as well. Alterations can, therefore, be made to a will. The law requires that every alteration to a will be made and executed in the same manner as is required for the making of wills. This means that every alteration to a will must be in writing and signed by the Testator or a person on his or her behalf. The alteration must also be attested to by witnesses in the same manner as the will itself. In the alternative, the will can be re-executed or a subsequent codicil (an addition or supplement that explains, modifies or revokes the will or part thereof) can be prepared and attached to the will.

The Exception with Armed Forces Will

The rules for the making of wills by members of the Armed Forces engaged in active service is simple and straightforward. Members of the armed forces in active service can make wills at whatever age. They can make wills in three different forms:

  • firstly, if the material provisions and signature of the will are in the writing of the Testator, then no witness is required to make it valid;
  • secondly, where a will is in a written form (whether or not in the handwriting of the Testator), the signature of one witness is required to make it valid.
  • thirdly, where the testator made an oral will, two witnesses are required to attest to the validity of the will.

All three forms will form a valid will. Such a will remains valid even though the Testator ceases to be a member of the Armed Forces.

Revocation

Wills are not cast in stone. In just the same way that it is made, it can be withdrawn or revoked. A will can always be revoked before the death of the Testator. However, the revocation must be in accordance with the law. A will may be revoked by:

  • tearing;
  • other physical destruction by the Testator or by some other person in his presence and by his direction provided it was made with the intention of revoking it;
  • a written declaration to revoke it executed in the same manner as a will;
  • the execution of another will which is expressed to revoke the previous Will. In the absence of the expression to revoke the previous Will in the subsequent one, the previous will remains valid.

It must be pointed out that an accidental destruction of a will is not enough to revoke it.

 Custody of Wills

A person who makes a will may deposit it in his lifetime at the High Court. The will to be deposited must be sealed under the Testator’s own seal and the seal of the court. If any person has in his or her possession any will or writing purporting to be a will, the person must deposit it in the High Court. Failure to do so within fourteen (14) days after having knowledge of the death of the Testator will amount to an offence attracting a penalty.

Dependents

It is important for a Testator to make provisions for dependents in his or her will. Dependents in this regard mean parents, spouse or children under eighteen (18) years. The law allows these dependents to apply to the High Court for provisions to be made for their maintenance if no such provisions were made for them in the will and no reasonable provisions were made for them by the Testator during his or her lifetime.

Conclusion

A will is a very important document. It expresses the desires of the deceased person as to how his or her properties are to be distributed. It is believed that the preceding paragraphs will be more beneficial and will serve as a good guide for preparing Wills in Ghana. It must, however, be noted that the court adopts certain rules of construction or interpretation of Wills. The Will must be well drafted to reflect the Testator’s intention. The will must also be made in accordance with the law. Ambiguities must be avoided. To ensure that a valid will is executed and for the purposes of the degree of technicalities involved, it is always advisable to consult a lawyer when making wills in Ghana.

 

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Wordpress (41)
  • comment-avatar
    Kakra Nketsiah 5 years

    Well simplified and written.

  • comment-avatar
    Mclins 5 years

    Nice

  • comment-avatar
    Excellent Ghana 5 years

    Useful illumination

  • comment-avatar
    Rev. Ankrah Ansah 5 years

    Great piece of work done. Very straight forward and on point.

  • comment-avatar
    Maame konadu 5 years

    Great piece.

  • comment-avatar
    Papa Rhyteous 5 years

    Very precise and concise
    I found it useful

  • comment-avatar
    Rose Frimpong 5 years

    Great guide!
    Thanks

  • comment-avatar
    Patrick Kwarteng 5 years

    Self explanatory… good writings

  • comment-avatar
    Matthias Napar Neina 5 years

    Nice piece. thanks Helen

    • comment-avatar
      Helen Amponsah Asare 5 years

      U are welcome!

      • comment-avatar
        lisa lovatt 4 years

        So who should I go to to write my will in ghana?
        And do legally adopted children get a specific allocation as biological children ?

        • comment-avatar
          Helen Amponsah Asare 4 years

          As already indicated, it is better to have the Will drafted by a lawyer.
          Legally adopted children can equally be beneficiaries in a will. It is at the sole discretion of the testator ( the person making the will)

  • comment-avatar
    Isaac Osei Bonsu 5 years

    Can a commissioner for oaths administer oaths to a will?

  • comment-avatar
    Nkrumah victor 4 years

    Can someone who is a king can make will? If yes can person make will and field it in high court any time he or she likes

  • comment-avatar
    Young_Son 4 years

    very concise but refreshingly informative. However, per the Wills Act, not only must a person be of the age of 21 years in order to be elected an executor, that person should also have the capacity to enter into a legally enforceable contract. What this means is that a testator should make sure that his/her potential executors are not merely 21 years or above but should also have the ability to enter into a contract in the eyes of the law. In effect, such a person should, in addition to being 21 and above, be of sound mind and/or should not be an intoxicated person.

    • comment-avatar
      Helen Amponsah Asare 4 years

      Thanks for the useful addition

      • comment-avatar
        Chief 4 years

        Thanks for the information, a great friend has approached me to be her executor. I live outside of Ghana and wondering if you have any thoughts of potential challenges this will present. Particularly in reference to frequency of court appearances, family engagements and anything regarding my presence in Ghana.

  • comment-avatar
    Sammy 4 years

    I am at kumasi and how and where could I prepare my will?

    • comment-avatar
      Helen Amponsah Asare 4 years

      You can speak to any lawyer of your choice to help you prepare your will.

  • comment-avatar
    Princess 4 years

    Reading and understanding made easy. Well simplified. Good piece. Bless You

  • comment-avatar
    RAPHAEL FYNN-SACKEY 4 years

    my father died without a will but had majority of his property in the name of the first male born. upon his death this child saw this land document and is claiming it as a gift from our late dad
    Do you think we the other 8 children have a case?

  • comment-avatar
    Mr.opoku Mensah 4 years

    I m Ghanaian born in UK with Italian national. Pls I ve property in Ghana I want to prepare a WILL how do I get it done here in UK .pls I need your advice. Thank you

  • comment-avatar
    Eric Kofi Nti 4 years

    Please barrister Helen is audio recording accepted in Ghana by law and can be used for making a will.

  • comment-avatar
    Ken Bilson 4 years

    Hi Helen,

    Thank you so very much for your article above – A simplified guide to making Wills in Ghana.

    Are you please able to recommend or reference some lawyers I can talk to towards selecting one of them to help with my legal Will?

    Sincere Regards

  • comment-avatar
    Helen Amponsah Asare 4 years

    Yes please. I can assist. Kindly inbox me

  • comment-avatar
    David Mason 4 years

    Hello Helen.

    Can a Testator make a conditional requirement in their Will that a female (daughter) inheritor must be wed before any
    inheritance is distributed to her?

  • comment-avatar
    Benjamin Tettey 4 years

    Thank you for the information. Very necessary

  • comment-avatar
    Father cobbold 4 years

    Madam here in Ghana can one use video to make will

  • comment-avatar
    adwoa 4 years

    Can a man will everything to a wife whom he has no child with and leave his own children out. How does the law help children like this to get some of the properties.

  • comment-avatar
    Samuel Tabi Mensah 3 years

    A very informative piece.

  • comment-avatar
    JOSEPH AMOH 3 years

    Very educative piece of information. I ‘ve a question. After the Demise of my uncle, I was appointed as a customary successor to my late uncle by elders of the family. Later, Three of my late uncle’s sons came up with a Will purported to be made by my late uncle. In the will, some family lands containing cocoa farms that my late uncle was just in charge for the family had been disposed to the beneficiaries of the will. Now, the case is pending at a high court but my question is, who should be the custodian of the said family cocoa farm till the court rules on the case? is it the customary successor or the beneficiaries of the purported will?

  • comment-avatar
    Alex Amponsah 3 years

    Where can I find a template for writing a will in Ghana

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