Why stay of execution was withdrawn – Godfred Dame explains

• Godfred Dame says Achimota School can still appeal the High Court ruling with a stay of execution

• He indicated that President Akufo-Addo is of the view that no student should be deprived of education

• He said the High Court ruling may have an implication on the secondary schools

Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice has been explaining why he advised Achimota School and its Board of governors to withdraw an application for stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal.

The application was to freeze the court order to enrol the two Rastafarian boys in Achimota School.

After the judgement on Monday, May 31, 2021, the Board of the school indicated in a statement their disagreement with the court decision and subsequently announced that their lawyers have been instructed to appeal the judgement.

They proceeded in filing a stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal.

But in another statement issued on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, the governing Board of Achimota School said:

“Further to our statement issued on 1 June 2021 on the subject of two Rastafarian applicants, we have been in consultation with other relevant stakeholders to seek the best ways forward, taking into account the interests of all parties,” it said.

Adding that, “while the Board remains committed to the appeal against the High Court ruling, it will withdraw the application for a stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal by a higher court”.

Explaining why he advised the school to take such a decision, the Attorney General in an interview with JoyNews monitored by GhanaWeb said, “there ought not to be any action which will hinder the education of the students, the President’s main concern is to ensure that all persons who are worthy of secondary education attain same”.

He noted, the President is concerned about any action that will prevent any individual from going to school.

“So, the students ought to go to school, the school ought to open the doors to them,” Dame stated.

He argued: “an appeal can be contested without a stay of execution. An appeal can be pursued with the grant of a stay of execution order; unless it can be shown that the grant of the stay of execution order is so imperative or compelling and that its denial will lead to some injustice and all.

“In the meantime, any injustice perhaps maybe interim, so, I’m saying that the stay of execution may not be pursued, the school can pursue its appeal…so, the children ought to go to school.”

Dame stated that in case the government succeeds in its appeal, there will be a revision to the situation before the students enrolled at the Achimota School, thus, the students may have to trim their dreadlocks.