Admit 499 law students – Attorney General to GLC
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, has asked the General Legal Council to grant admission to the 499 students who were denied entry into the Ghana School of Law.
In a letter to the GLC, the Attorney General suggested that the students be admitted in November this year or in May 2022. According to him, provision can be made for the organization of classes in a way to cater for the entire candidates of the part one course of professional law course.
A copy of the letter sighted by the media saw the Attorney General make three proposals including
“Grant deferred admission to the 499 candidates with effect from May 22. A special provision can be made for the first year professional law course by candidates already admitted to run from October, 2021 to April, 2022. The 499 candidates may undertake their programme from May 2022 and ending November, 2022. Arrangements would have to be put in place for the two sets of candidates to undertake their pupilage and be called to the bar at a common date in the next two years.”
The Attorney General’s letter, dated November 1, 2021 also said the GLC can alternatively organize a special examination in November for the aggrieved students to justify their admission.
Following a directive from parliament to the General Legal Council to admit the aggrieved students, the Attorney General said the directive is unlawful.
According to the Office, Parliament cannot direct the GLC on processes for admission into the law school just by a resolution.
“Whilst recognizing the general legislative powers of Parliament in Ghana, except as has been circumscribed by the Constitution, I am constrained to advise that Parliament is devoid of power through the use of Parliamentary resolutions, to control the process of admission into the Ghana School of Law”, a statement from the AG’s office mentioned.
Godfred Dame recently courted controversy when he said that practicing law is a privilege, and not a right. He said this during the induction ceremony of new executives of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) earlier this week.
“Mr. President and new executives, you owe a duty to drive home the point that the practice of law is not a right, it is a privilege. Along with it comes a moral obligation and a legal duty to uphold the dignity of the profession to ensure that the privileged call to the bar is not abused through unprincipled and disreputable conduct,” he advised.
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has filed a motion asking the Speaker of Parliament to trigger the necessary processes for the House to pass a vote of censure against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame.
They believe the Attorney General has refused to facilitate the admission of the 499 students. The motion means that the Minority is seeking the removal of the Attorney General from office for supposedly undermining or disrespecting Parliament.
Source: Citinewsroom
