Everything you need on Ghana's current government, the world headlines that matter, and the three writing forms that come up most often on entrance papers: discussion essays, formal letters, and informal letters.
Stories from Ghana and around the world that consistently surface in entrance papers and interviews. Each one is short, focused, and worded the way you'd want to answer.
The current executive, legislative, and judicial leadership of Ghana — the people you must be able to name in a vetting room.
Cabinet of President John Dramani Mahama, sworn in from January 2025. The Cabinet under Article 76 of the 1992 Constitution consists of the President, Vice President, and not less than 10 and not more than 19 Ministers of State.
Ghana has 16 administrative regions, each headed by a Regional Minister appointed by the President under Article 256 of the Constitution.
On 1 September 2025, President Mahama removed Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office under Article 146(9) of the Constitution, acting on the recommendation of an investigating committee that found grounds of stated misbehaviour. She was the first sitting Chief Justice in Ghana's history to be suspended, and her removal sparked national debate over judicial independence. The matter is also before the ECOWAS Court of Justice. Her successor, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, was sworn in shortly thereafter.
Three forms that show up across every Ghanaian pre-law and undergraduate entrance paper: the discussion essay, the formal letter, and the informal letter. Master the structure, and the rest is content.
A discussion essay presents multiple perspectives on a debatable issue, weighs them fairly, and arrives at a reasoned position. It is the most common essay form in Ghanaian entrance papers because it tests four legal-mind skills at once: balance, evidence, structure, and clarity.
Aim for 500–700 words in roughly 45 minutes: 5 minutes planning, 35 minutes writing, 5 minutes proofreading. Never skip the proofread — small errors cost disproportionate marks.
Question: "Should the death penalty be abolished in Ghana?"
The list trap: writing six shallow points instead of three deep ones. Examiners reward depth.
The pulpit trap: moralising instead of arguing ("it is simply wrong"). Argue from evidence and principle.
The hedge trap: qualifying every sentence into meaninglessness ("perhaps it could be said that maybe…"). Be definite where evidence allows.
A formal letter is written to someone you do not know personally, in an official capacity — a government office, an editor, a school principal, a company, a public institution. Tone is respectful, impersonal, and economical.
Letter of application — for a job, scholarship, or admission. Lead with the role, give qualifications, attach CV.
Letter of complaint — be specific (date, place, what happened), state remedy sought.
Letter to the editor — react to a published piece or raise a public issue. Open with the article reference.
Letter of request / enquiry — ask clearly, give context, thank in advance.
A letter to the editor of a national newspaper on a topic of public concern.
Markers scan a formal letter for five things in this order: addresses, subject line, salutation-sign-off match, clear purpose in paragraph one, and the absence of casual language. Get all five right and you have already secured a credit.
An informal letter is written to someone you know — family, a close friend, a relative. The tone is warm, personal, and conversational, but it still has a recognisable structure that markers look for.
"Write a letter to your friend describing your first week at university."
"Write to your younger brother advising him on how to prepare for BECE."
"Write to your aunt who has recently returned from abroad, inviting her to your graduation."
A letter to a close friend describing your preparation for the LLB entrance exam.
If a marker can identify the relationship between writer and recipient in the first two lines, the tone is right. If your formal letter could be sent to a friend, or your informal letter could be sent to a minister — start again.