Make the Law accessible to the under-privileged, Professor Atta Mills.

Accra (Greater Accra) 8 April '99

Accra (Greater Accra) 8 April '99 Vice-President Professor John Atta Mills, on Wednesday called on African lawyers to make the law simpler, easier and more accessible to the under-privileged. It was the toil of this class of people, which created the wealth that was used to pay for your education and training, he reminded the lawyers.. "African lawyers owe hardworking farmers, fishermen, miners and other ordinary people a duty to give something back, not in the patronising manner of an elite, but as partners in a shared vision of a more just, equitable and dignified Africa". At the opening of a four-day Africa Regional Conference of the International Bar Association (IBA) at the Accra International Conference Centre, Professor Mills, a lawyer by profession, regretted that some lawyers "wrap the law practice in a mysterious veil of jargon and technicalities, either because they believe that mystery engenders respect, or even to enable them to confuse and mislead the ignorant. "They forget that the purpose of the law is to regulate human activities and interactions in the interest of social harmony, security and justice, and not merely to provide lawyers with a comfortable living", he added.. The theme for the conference is "Practising Law in the 21st Century - Meeting the Challenges". Topics to be discussed include professional ethics in a changing world, access to justice, the delivery of the Rule of Law by the provision of legal services, and principles of international arbitration. More than 200 lawyers from some African countries and other international law societies are attending the conference. The Vice-President said African lawyers, whether in private practice, as corporate counsel, on the bench or as draftsmen or teachers, have a moral obligation to contribute in practical ways towards national development. He advised the participants to join hands with some international non-governmental organisations (NGO'S) such as the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), who are educating the disadvantaged sections in the society on their legal rights and helping to ensure prompt redress where necessary. He called on them to support and encourage alternative dispute resolution (ADR) systems which have been initiated in many countries without recourse to costly and time-consuming court action. Touching on globalisation and the revolution in information technology, Professor Mills said the situation demands that an African lawyer be informed on the fast evolving international and multinational corporate structures, banking practices and natural resource regimes. The Vice-President commended the IBA for the topics chosen, and hoped the participants would provoke a discussion on the challenges the African lawyer would encounter in the 21st century. Mr Justice Isaac Kobina Abban, Chief Justice, said attracting investment is now the primary focus of world economies and for Africa to be well placed, the law has to provide direction to market-oriented economies and social and human resource development. He therefore charged the participants to work towards creating and promoting the necessary legal framework to achieve set goals. On delays in the disposal of cases in the courts, Mr Justice Abban emphasised that it is a problem that needs to be solved or brought under control, as it can scare investors in various African countries. He asked the participants to review procedures and practices, which hamper the rapid development of the legal profession to enable the Africa Judiciary contribute effectively to the growth of the continent. Dr Obed Asamoah, Attorney General and Minister for Justice asked the lawyers to always uphold the ethics of the profession. The Attorney General announced that all the necessary machinery has been acquired for the establishment of ADR system in the country. The operation of the ADR system would reduce the number of cases sent to the courts, as minor ones would be resolved. Mr Klaus Bohlhoff, President of the IBA commended African lawyers for the role they continue to play in the development of law and protection of human rights on the continent.