It’s childish to compare Addison to Tsikata – Betty Mould tells Deputy AG

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Betty Mould Iddrisu, has described as amateurish, the Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah-Dame’s assessment of the famous lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata’s legal prowess. 

Godfred Yeboah-Dame during Starr Chat last Wednesday, May 3, 2017 claimed lead Counsel for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the 2012 election Philip Addison “is a better lawyer than his colleague Tsatsu Tsikata from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)”. 

But the comment seemed not to have gone down well with the Vice Chairman of the NDC who observed that the comment was distasteful, amateurish and childish.

“I find the comments by the deputy Attorney General Godfred Odame in a recent interview he granted Starr FM to the effect that Philip Addison is a better lawyer than Tsatsu Tsikata very distasteful, amateurish and childish. Maybe Godfred should be reminded that by convention the AG is the official leader of Bar and presumably the deputy hence the need to exercise caution and maturity when making comments about members of the Bar”, she said. 

“That is why the attorney general’s cases are given priority over others in court. In any case what was the basis for the comparison”, she asked. 

Madam Betty Mould reminded the deputy minister that he was too young in the late 70s to know that Tsatsu Tsikata was a highly sought after lawyer in the country indicating that more than 80% of Supreme Court Judges of present day passed under his tutelage.  “Someone should remind Godfred who perhaps was either not born or too young in the late 70s that Tsatsu Tsikata was one of the highly sought after lawyers in his days. Is Godfred also aware that more than 80%of judges of today’s Supreme Court passed through Tsatsu’s tutorship. 

Or does the fact that Godfred trained under Phillip Addison mean he’s a better lawyer than Tsatsu Tsikata? I can appreciate his crass and pathetic ignorance because in the late 70s when his boss Nana Akuffo, lawyer Adae Mensah and Tsatsu Tsikata formed the Human Rights Committee of the Ghana Bar Association where was he? Remember Lawyer Adae Mensah subsequently moved on to become the solicitor General for the Rivers State in Nigeria. I expect better from our deputy Attorney General. 

Godfred should rise above this pettiness. There is so much work to do for mother Ghana. Away with the politicking and childishness while we hold sensitive public offices which come with enormous responsibility. I am curious though” 

She appealed to the president to immediately call the deputy minister to order in view of the fact he is the official leader of bar and presumably the deputy hence the need to exercise caution and maturity when making comments. 

“Will the president, his boss, who is also member of the Bar call him to order”, she quizzed.