The formation of a valid contract begins with an offer. Without a valid offer, there can be no acceptance and consequently no binding agreement. Courts are frequently called upon to determine whether a statement, letter, advertisement, negotiation, or conduct amounts to a legally enforceable offer or merely a preliminary step in negotiation.
In Ghana, as in common law jurisdictions, the law of offer is governed by well-established judicial principles which emphasize certainty, objectivity, and commercial practicality.
An offer is therefore not simply any proposal or statement. It must reflect a clear intention to be legally bound upon acceptance.