GBA moves forward to hold 28th Annual Conference

The Ghana Bar Association is set to organize its 28th Annual General Conference which is expected to see the election of a new President who will take over from Mr. Anthony Forson, Jnr.

This year’s conference is on the theme, “Ensuring an increase in revenue mobilization through taxation for the purpose of accelerated national development; the role of the lawyer”. It is being held at the Fountain Gate Chapel in Bolgatanga.

The 28th Annual General Conference opens on Sunday with a church service and courtesy calls by members of the GBA National Council on Tongo-Rana Kubilsong Nalebegtan as well as the Regional Ministey, Hon. Stephen Yakubu.

The conference proper however begins on Monday, 13th September, 2021. It is expected that dignitaries such as the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, the Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame will be present for this opening ceremony and be allowed minutes to speak.

A lecture on the theme will be delivered on Tuesday by Dr. Ali Nakyea at the Fountain Gate Church in Bolgatanga, moderated by a former President of the GBA, Frank W.K. Beecham. Other lectures set to be held on Tuesday  will be one delivered by a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Sir Dennis Adjei and the legal luminary, Mrs. Sheila Minkah-Premo.

Justice Adjei will speak on “Witness Statements as Evidence in Chief and Case Management by Judges under C.I. 47 as amended by C.I. 87 – Challenges and Solutions”. Meanwhile, Mrs. Minkah-Premo will lecture on the “Intestate Succession Bill – What Changes does it propose?”

A third lecture on Tuesday is expected to be delivered by a lecturer at the GIMPA Law School, Dr. Isidore Tuffour on “Enhancing Legal Services Delivery through the introduction of paralegal practice in the Ghana Legal System”.

Conference participants will also receive and consider various regional bar reports as well as bar committee reports. There will be deliberative sessions to discuss matters affecting the bar, the legal profession and the nation as a whole.

Also, participants can expect to indulge the various tours set to take place on Thursday morning for some five teams. The first team will explore the Navrongo Minro Basilica, Paga Crocodile Pond and Pikworo Slave Camp. The second team will visit the Sirigu Women’s Pottery and Art. The third will head towards the Tengzug Shrines/Bongo Azudoo. The fourth to the Rice Valleys and Tono Project while the fifth tour heads outward to Ouagadougou. This is besides the optional night club hangouts, live band concert and food bazaar.

The results of what is expected to be a keenly contested election for National Presidency of the GBA, between Mr. Yaw Boafo, the current National Secretary and Mrs. Efua Ghartey, a former Ashanti Regional President and the current Greater Accra Regional President will be declared on Wednesday, 15th September, 2021.

The conference promises to be informative and pragmatically innovative. Members of the Bar who cannot be present at Bolgatanga can be sure to join through the virtual platforms dedicated to the service.