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Ghana School of Law launches 48th
annual week celebration
Accra, March 19, GNA - The 48th annual Law Week of the
Students Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana Law
School opened in Accra on Monday with an appeal to the
students to be committed to a robust and fearless Bar to
prevent the re-emergence of despotism and autocratic rule.
Professor Justice A. Kodzo Paaku Kludze, Retired Supreme
Court Judge, who launched the week-long celebration, said as
future guardians of the rights and liberties of the people
of Ghana, the student lawyers had the responsibility to
defend the rights and liberties of both the poor, rich and
powerful, though that might come with some risks.
He said: "You must be painfully reminded that we as Lawyers
have not always defended our ideals. We have often assisted
dictators to use the law to suppress our people. Dictators
love spineless Lawyers, who can transform an illegality into
legality."
Speaking on the theme; "The Role of the Law in the 50 Years
of Ghana's Independence", Professor Kludze noted that
usually those dictators were not lawyers but rather it was
the lawyers, who misused their ingenuity to prostitute their
learning to craft laws that deprive the people of their
fundamental rights.
"I hope that being aware of our past, you will resist the
temptation to assist a dictator to ever impose himself upon
the good people of Ghana," he said.
He said during this year's Golden Jubilee Celebrations,
tributes were paid to people from all sectors of the
society, including Chiefs, politicians and market women but
virtually nothing had been said about the part played by
students in the struggle for independence and in the
vicissitude of the social and political history of Ghana.
Professor Kludze said some of the reasons lied in the
quality of students, who now led the student movements and
who were perhaps not interested in the historical truth or
were incapable of appreciating what the students of this
country had contributed to the social and political
evolution.
He noted that at the time of the Convention People’s Party
rule, the only independent voice was that of the students,
of which he was the President in 1963, who expressed
opposition to a one party State, the Prevention Detention
Act, denial of free speech and the arbitrary dismissal of
Judges.
Professor Kluzde said many of the law students would in the
future be elevated to the Bench to interpret and apply the
Constitution and be the arbiters of the rights of the
citizenry, adding that to discharge their responsibility
effectively the students must assiduously apply themselves
to the study of Law.
He commended the SRC for committing itself to the annual
lectures on the infamous Baffuor Akoto's case, which served
as a reminder that in the different stages in the nation's
history people were denied their basic rights of freedom of
speech and freedom of association and endured the frequent
imprisonment of ordinary citizens, who had no access to the
courts.
He said the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) was unhappy
regarding the administration of the Ghana Law School and
called for steps to be taken quickly to get a substantive
Director to fully handle its affairs.
Madam Gertrude Aikins, Acting Director for Public
Prosecution, on behalf of the Attorney General, said efforts
were made by Lawyers to defend the defenceless throughout
the history of the country that was interspersed with
military rule.
She said, there were situations where laws were open-ended,
which made one to easily fall foul to it adding that though
things looked normal currently, there was the need for
Lawyers to remain vigilant so as to fight for the rights of
the citizenry.
Madam Aikins said the quest for independence was pushed by
many Lawyers including some members of the Big Six and that
it was necessary for the students to maintain this
achievement by ensuring that the rule of law prevailed.
Professor Nii Ashie Kotei, Acting Director of the Ghana
School of Law, commended the staff, especially the teachers
for their role in maintaining the high academic standards of
the School.
He said without good Lawyers to maintain the rule of law,
Ghana would have been affected by the series of conflicts
that had plagued other African countries.
Mr Sam Pee Yarley, President of the SRC, said as an
Executive they decided to concentrate on issues that
affected the welfare of students as their main goals by
providing the basic human needs of the students.
He said, apart from providing water dispensers and
re-aligning the sewerage system, they had also constructed
an SRC plaza that consisted of four offices, a restaurant, a
restroom and a Barrister's shop where for the first time in
Ghana students could buy their wigs and gowns and other
legal accoutrements.
Mr Kwami Tetteh, President of the GBA, who chaired the
programme, said structures for the rule of law were present
in Ghana and that called for celebration.
He reiterated the need for a substantive Director for the
School and urged the SRC to use the Law week to educate the
public on their rights and responsibilities and to reflect
on their activities to advance their cause.
The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah III and some members of
the Ga Traditional Council; Nii Adjiri Blankson, Mayor of
Accra and high-ranking members of the Ghana Bar Association
were present at the occasion.
Activities for the celebration include a lecture and a
dinner dance where personalities, who have contributed to
the maintenance of the rule of law, would be awarded.
GNA
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