Ken Donkor (middle) addressing the media while Kofi Bentil (right), a member of pressure group, OccupyGhana and the Coalition looks on
The Coalition for Legal Education Reforms has asked the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo, not to approve the relaying of the Legal Profession (Professional and Post-Call Law Course) Regulation 2017 before parliament.
The Coalition, which is made up of the Concerned LLB holders of Ghana, Association of Law Students, presidents and members of civil society organizations, made the call at a press conference held on Tuesday, February 6, 2018.
It has also called on government to “come out clearly with its position on the GLC’s proposed Legal Instrument (L.I.).
“The Ghana Legal Council (GLC) is looking for legislative approval to push through a policy that represents a retrogressive change in the system of professional legal education in Ghana.
“The government must accordingly stop the proposed L.I. from getting enacted into law unless it believes it represents the right and best policy for Ghana,” according to the Coalition.
The Coalition accused the GLC of not showing any commitment in obeying Supreme Court orders.
The Association of Law Students had previously petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye for a vote to annul the legal profession, Professional and Post-call Law Course, Regulations, 2017.
The L.I. was withdrawn from Parliament accordingly due to the lack of gazette.
The Coalition believes the move is a clear contradiction of the Attorney General’s publicly declared stand of being in favour of legal education reforms in Ghana.
“During your confirmation hearings, you spoke eloquently about the tyranny of the entrance exams imposed on qualified students by the Ghana Legal Council (GLC).”
“Madam, why would you relay this clearly flawed LI which defeats everything you stand for and have declared publicly? Everything you are proposing is already provided in LI 1296 while the new LI that you are so strenuously trying to lay in Parliament seeks to legalize the very things that you say are flawed,” Ken Addo Donkor, leader of the Coalition said while reading out a statement on behalf of his outfit.
He said “the GLC is an administrative body created and governed by statute/Act of Parliament. As a result, GLC cannot freely impose on the country its idiosyncratic policy preferences in the matter of the production of lawyers.”
By Melvin Tarlue