GBA calls for crusade to end bitterness

Mr. Tony Forson, National President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) on Monday said the polarized nature of our society is deep-rooted and called on the leaders of the country to take measures to heal it.

He has therefore appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to lead the way to heal the nation to end the cycle bitterness.

“The polarized nature of our society is so deep-rooted that lip service from our leaders will not lesson it. I will urge you as the father of the nation with a clear knowledge of this unfortunate state of affairs to lead the charge to truly heal this nation otherwise this cycle of bitterness will never end,” he said.

Mr. Forson was speaking at a GBA Webinar held at the Law Court Complex in Accra on the theme: “Enhancing National Cohesion: the Essence of free, fair and Responsible Electoral Process.”

The GBA originally was to hold its annual conference at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. The conference has therefore been rescheduled to September 2021.

The GBA President said the association would be hosting a colloquium for journalists to ensure insult free political seasoning in the country.

He, therefore, appealed to the media to be circumspect in their reportage of political activities adding, “they should do all in their power to promote peace and unity in the country.”

Mr. Forson condemned insults directed at judges in the performance of their judicial function.

“Court may sometimes make mistakes that is why the constitution makes adequate appellate provision and it does not lie within any person’s province to insult the court or any institution of state for that matter,” the GBA President added.

Touching on Ghana’s Electoral process, the GBA President congratulated the Electoral Commission for the success of the first phase of the registration exercise through the deployment of ICT and the innovation of texting 1422 to verify one’s details on the Voter’s Register for a fee of GHC0.30.

On legal education, Mr. Forson recounted that the Chief Justice through his leadership was ensuring transparency and openness in the training of law students to obviate the hardship students face in trying to enter the Law School.

According to him, the Chief Justice was making the public know happenings in various Law faculties and affording them the knowledge to make informed choices.

“We hope that the performance in this year’s entry examination would be much better to afford many more students entry into the law school.

Mr. Forson said he supports the Law school village concept to expand access and eventually move to the system where more faculties could be provided for the professional training with supervision by the General Legal Council.

“Quality should never be compromised for any reason,” the GBA President added.

Touching on some achievement during his tenure, Mr. Forson said the GBA has been able to digitize data on all persons ever called to the bar since 1877.

Again, he said “We have completely automated the application completion certificate of pupilage. We have created a Lawyer locator software that allows the general public online searches on members.

“The public can now inquire online a lawyer’s location, specialty, age, experience, contact information, and verify the membership of all lawyers and their chambers.”

Also, Mr. Forson said the GBA has also begun designing software to enable the public to access Legal Aid services remotely, interface with assigned lawyers and track the progress of their cases online.

He was optimistic that in the next GBA conference members would use technology in voting instead of using a whole day in voting.