Legal profession is not market driven business -CJ

Koforidua Oct. 1, GNA- Mrs. Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, the Chief Justice, on Monday told lawyers that the legal profession was not a market driven business.

She said, "The practice of law is not about a relentless drive for profit and a selfish pursuit of economic success."

Mrs. Wood was speaking at the 2007/2008 Annual Conference of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), organised under the theme "Fifty Years of Administration of Justice in Ghana," in Koforidua.

The Chief Justice called for an incorruptible Bar for an incorruptible Bench adding "Keep the streams of Justice pure to see that trials and enquiries are fairly conducted, that arrests and searches are properly carried out, that lawful remedies are readily available and that unnecessary delays in trails are eliminated."

Mrs. Wood said the most valuable asset of any profession must be its collective reputation and that lawyers needed to strengthen their disciplinary procedures and processes and to demand accountability. She said "Proper and transparent professional standards must be established, made accessible to all members of the BAR and rigorously enforced. It is only by maintaining strong ethical standards that the legal profession can continue to command the respect of society." The Chief Justice urged lawyers to work with integrity and to collectively ensure that the image of the profession was kept high. Mrs. Wood advised lawyers perform their statutory duties well and to pay their taxes regularly and promptly to enable government to respond to the financial needs of the Judicial Service. Mr. Joe Ghartey, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, urged lawyers to support efforts aimed at enhancing freedom and justice, the rule of law and to deepen democracy in Ghana.

He said the Interstate Succession Bill, the Property Rights of Spouses Bill, the Freedom of Information Bill and the Defamation Bill were under consideration.

Mr. Ghartey gave the hint that Cabinet had approved a complete review of the Interstate Succession and said the Law did not provide justice for all.

Mr. Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, urged members of the GBA to execute their duties without blemish and be firm in their approach to National assignments.

He appealed to the Judicial Service to establish another High Court in Koforidua since the only one in the Municipality could not cope with the numerous cases that were brought before it. Mr. Asiedu also appealed to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General to recommend the posting of permanent Counsel to the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs for quick disposition of chieftaincy and land cases.