Features
Legal education and the 499 students
Persuance of education is considered very important at all levels because of the essential role played by education in sharpening the skill of students and making them more productive for the development of various sectors of the economy. The purpose of education is to equip students with relevant knowledge and skills that would help liberate them from ignorance and make it possible for them to address the challenges or obstacles in socioeconomic development. This explains why all over the world, countries place emphasis on developing the educational sector to make it dynamic and productive in terms of output of relevant goods and services in line with improving upon the welfare of people.
DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS
In Ghana, it is important to encourage the growth of engineering and agricultural students to make it possible for them to help the economy to grow. Apart from this, we also need to encourage other sectors such as transportation, tourism and many other areas to ensure that no sector is left behind. Another area that cannot be forgotten is the health sector because if all sectors of the economy expand while the health sector is weak, people will not be able to get the quality health care they deserve and this would demean that most of the people will remain unhealthy and unproductive for that matter. Every sector in the economy is therefore important and that is why students must be encouraged to take up studies in different areas and blend such different aspect of knowledge for the advancement of society. It is equally important to note that in everything we do we must be regulated by the laws of the land otherwise there will be total choas in society. Choatic situations or disorderliness is not good for society because it doesn’t not help society as a whole to move forward in a common direction towards national development. To be able to move forward in this way we need to ensure that laws are properly enacted to regulate all activities in society. Such laws, once enacted, must be properly interpreted and implemented to guide all actions in society. Laws are therefore very important because they help people to train as lawyers and also make it possible for the law making body or legislature to go about it’s duties in the passage of laws for the country. All such activities cannot take place if lawyers are not properly trained to operate as professionals in our court systems, the legislature and other areas of life. This is what makes legal education very important.
LEGAL EDUCATION
Legal education today has become an important programme for all those who desire to enter the Ghana School of Law for professional training to make them lawyers. Legal education has become an important part of our life because lawyers help us to regulate affairs in society and to carry out our conduct in an acceptable way in line with the laws of the country. It is professional lawyers who help societies to organise their activities in line with accepted principles. Society today is governed by social norms and laws in various aspects of our life. Politically, socially, and economically, it is the implementation of the law that helps to protect the interest of everyone as well as different groups of people pursuing various activities for national development.
LAW AND ORDER
Law and order in society can only be possible if we allow ourselves to be governed soundly and effectively by rules of conduct and laws that have been enacted in the interest of the nation. On the economic front and in the business sector, we are always governed by different laws and principles that help us in the promotion of national economic development as well as business growth
in the interest of all. Similarly, our social behaviour such as obeying traffic rules and so on are also governed by laws in the country. Politically, democracy cannot thrive without making room for laws to govern our behaviour and conduct.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
In the light of all this, it is clear that professional training is very necessary for all those who desire to receive it in line with legal education. If enough lawyers are trained for the country, the country will have the peace it desires to go about all duties and operations necessary for our socioeconomic development.
FATE OF THE 499 STUDENTS
Against this background, it is unfortunate that the fate of the 499 students who desire to entire the Ghana School of Law is hanging in the balance through no fault of theirs. At the same time, the Ghana School of Law as well as the Independent Education Council or Body for Legal Education and also the Attorney-general and other stakeholders cannot be blamed for this unfortunate development. As a nation, what could have been done would have been to institute measures in anticipation of the increasing numbers of students fighting for professional education in law. Ghana has done well in producing quality lawyers not only for the country, but for other countries in the world. We therefore need to expand the facilities for legal education in the country so that all qualified candidates can be admitted without unwarranted restrictions or obstacles.
SOD CUTTING
It is very good that President Akuffo Addo has already cut sod for the construction of a new training school for professional legal education to cater for the increasing number of students in the country. However, this cannot
help the situation until the completion of this noble and necessary project. Thus, while waiting for the completion of the project, we all need to be patient so that at the right time, not far away from now, more students can be admitted for legal education. Even though facilities are limited compared to the huge numbers desiring to enter the Ghana School of Law, every effort must be made by the authorities concerned to admit more students than is being done now so as to reduce conflicts and afflictions among any group of people who want to enter the Ghana School of Law. The situation can be managed like this until the new law school for professional training is completed to admit more students than we are doing now.
CONCERN OF PARLIAMENT
Parliament, concerned about the situation, has directed the Ghana School of Law to admit all the 499 students desiring to enter for professional training, without failure. This is good but must be intepretated in the right frame of the law governing professional legal education in the country. Even though Parliament has a supervisory role over the Executive, it cannot exercise the power of directing the Ghana School of Law to admit all the 499 students. This has been explicitly explained by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and it is expected that the truth of the matter would be taken in good faith no matter the pain and frustration that may go with it. The country has come to the point where many anticipated problems likely to be encountered must be seriously examined and dealt with in order to avoid crisis situations. Ghana must move on in its quest for political, economic and social development but this must not be done in an haphazard manner to disturb the peace and development of the state. Once we all understand it in this way, we will be able to deal with this problem once and for all together with all other challenges that may come our way so as to be able to surmount them and move to a higher level of progress for the good of the country and Africa and the world as a whole.
AVOIDING POLITICS
In the light of all this, we should not play politics with the issue of legal education in Ghana because if we do, the real purpose of finding pragmatic solution to the problem will escape all of us and when this happens it is the country as a whole that will stand to lose it focus in identifying a purposeful solution for the issue. There is no doubt that legal education is very important because in all aspect of life we need lawyers to guide us in what we do so that we will not go wrong. Even if we go wrong the disastrous effect experienced in this case may not be so much. The point being made is that legal education can help us in a dual purpose. First of all it can prevent a situation of going wrong before being corrected to do what is right. Secondly even where we go wrong the lawyers can help us to minimise demanded caused. This explains why we must all collaborate with stakeholders so that more expansive facilities for legal education will be effected to solve the problem once and for all in line with what the current government spearheaded by President Akufo-Addo stands for.
Contact email/whatsApp of author: Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
I experienced something on Monday, June 15, that really frustrated me. I had to go to the ministries but I could not get up early that day so I decided to pick a taxi and get to the Tuba Junction.
When I got there I realised that Traffic had built up from the Toll Booth towards Accra. After a while I got a Taxi and it was when we got to a certain spot on the road, that I realised why there was a traffic jam.
There is a short stretch of the road where each time it rains heavily, loose material run down the hill onto the road, blocking one side of the road. Vehicles from Kasoa to Accra are then forced to move into one of the lanes of those going towards Kasoa from Accra.
The two lane road from Accra to Kasoa becomes a single carriage way. That was the reason for the traffic jam from the toll booth onwards.
This has been a perineal problem and yet, no permanent solution has been found till date. The area falls under Ga South and even though, a new MCE has taken over, the technocrats are still there and so the problem is not new to them.
There is therefore no excuse for the inability of the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly to resolving the problem on that stretch of the road. Apart from the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly, another institution that must be held accountable is the Ghana Highways Authority.
The Highways Authority cannot say they are unaware of this issue. The fact that the problem falls within the area of responsibility of the Ga South Assembly, does not relieve the Ghana Highways Authority, of their responsibility of ensuring that our highways are maintained in a motorable state at all times.
A collaboration between the Ghana Highways Authority and The Ga South Municipal Assembly is required for a permanent resolution of the problem.
There was another traffic jam at a place called Atala about 250 metres to the traffic light at Old Barrier as a result of an issue similar to the one close to the toll booth, that I talked about earlier.
When we got to Weija junction, we encountered another traffic jam. The cause of this jam was a bad condition of road about 80 metres from the traffic light at Ga South Hospital heading towards Accra.
Due to the bad nature at that section of the road, vehicles are compelled to slow down resulting in a traffic jam stretching all the way to Weija Junction.
I started wondering if that short stretch of road cannot be sorted on one Sunday when traffic is usually light. When we got to the traffic light at Odorkor, there was another issue.
When the traffic light shows green, there is a slow down because there is a big pothole or should I say manhole in the outer lane, right at the traffic light. Vehicles in the outer lane are compelled to swerve into the second lane thereby causing a traffic to slow down and resulting in a traffic jam.
It is very important to take into account the effect of traffic jam on the national economy. If we are able to assess the value of the loss to the economy of the nation, I believe the issue of traffic jam will be prioritised.
Imagine persons working at various Government Organisations like Registrar General’s Department, Ghana Ports and Habours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, CEPS etc. and lives at Kasoa and whose job is to collect revenue for the state and is held up in traffic.
Just imagine the effect their lateness to work will have on the economy if you consider the delays in say clearing of goods at the port and as a result traders cannot sell their goods for government to generate the required taxes.
Let us deal with the traffic jams on our streets to promote economic growth. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Mortality is an inherent aspect of life, a universal experience that has sparked philosophical, theological, and scientific inquiry throughout human history.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of mortality, acknowledging the complexity of the topic and the diverse perspectives surrounding it.
The biological imperative
From a biological standpoint, death is a natural part of the life cycle. It serves as a mechanism for the evolution of species, allowing for the passing on of genetic material and the adaptation to environmental changes.
Evolutionary perspective: Death allows for the recycling of resources, promoting the survival and adaptation of species.
Life span and senescence: Cellular aging and the limitations of biological systems contribute to mortality.
Philosophical and existential perspectives
Existentialism: Emphasises individual freedom and responsibility in the face of mortality.
Meaning and purpose: The finite nature of life can prompt individuals to seek meaning and purpose.
The human condition: Mortality is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, shaping our perceptions and values.
Cultural and spiritual views
Afterlife and spirituality: Many cultures and religions believe in an afterlife or spiritual continuation.
Rituals and mourning: Cultural practices surrounding death reflect the significance of mortality in human experience.
Legacy and remembrance: The impact of one’s life can transcend mortality.
Ethical considerations
End-of-life care: Ethical debates surround issues like euthanasia, assisted dying, and palliative care.
Quality of life: Balancing the value of life with the quality of life is a complex ethical issue.
Resource allocation: Societal decisions about healthcare and resource distribution involve considerations of mortality.
Psychological impact
Grief and loss: The experience of mortality can evoke profound emotional responses.
Fear and anxiety: The awareness of mortality can lead to existential anxiety.
Appreciation and gratitude: Recognising mortality can foster appreciation for life.
Conclusion
Mortality is a multifaceted aspect of human existence, influencing how we live, relate, and find meaning. Understanding and acknowledging mortality can prompt deeper reflections on life and our place in the world.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
