The new council members being sworn in
Founder of MountCrest University College, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has announced that the university will begin teaching Law courses in Ghanaian languages by October next academic year.
According to the founder, there have been situations where brilliant students who are fluent in local languages have had difficulties studying Law.
He added that there have also been instances where translation in court rooms have been done incorrectly and, therefore, landing innocent individuals behind bars as a result of their failure to understand the English language in court proceedings.
This, he said, has caused inconsistencies in the administration of justice in the country hence the novelty.
“Just like one can study Law and English language as well as French with Law, we will align the study of Law with the Ghanaian languages,” he explained.
Mr. Ansa-Asare highlighted that the introduction of such a change will allow for smooth administration of justice and also make it easier for individuals who are knowledgeable in the local dialects to study Law.
“I have come across certain situations where translations in the court room is not good enough, therefore justice suffers because there are innocent people who get convicted as a result of poor translations, therefore, we want to change the landscape of that and use Ghanaian languages to teach Law,” he said.
“Since the Ghanaian languages will be their mother tongue, the next generation of lawyers can go to court very proficient in Law, especially those who will get the opportunity to do translation. Court interpreters will be well equipped and fitted to do the translation in the court,” he said.
He, therefore, expressed his hope that opportunities will be given to lawyers in court rooms to express themselves in the local dialects.
The founder shared this at the swearing in of 20 new members to the 4th Council of MountCrest University College at Larteh Akuapem in the Eastern Region.
The new members were tasked with improving the institution and upholding its standards and values.
Rector of the institution, Irene Ansa-Asare Horsham, said the mandate of the new council is to educate citizens through socially relevant programmes that can positively change society.
“It is our role to make an impact in communities, and also to transform the lives of ordinary Ghanaians through education from a humanistic point of view and that is why the programmes that we offer are socially relevant to the country, and that forms the basis for our mission and vision,” she said.
By Abigail Atinuke Seyram Adeyemi