Admit 499 law students and stop outdated practice- Parliament directs GLC

Parliament is flexing muscle after it unanimously passed resolution and directed that all 499 law students alleged to have ‘failed’ extrance examinations to the Ghana School of Law be admitted.

Parliament after the resolution directed the General Legal Council to admit LLB Law students who scored at least 50% mark in their entrance exams to the Ghana School of Law.

The disgrutled 499 law students have since staged a protest in Accra and dragged the General Legal Council, Attorney General and Director of Ghana School of Law to court, seeking certiorari order to quash the decisions of the school management.

Appearing before court today Friday 29 October 2021, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Godfred Yeboah Dame asked for some times to file his defense during which the matter was adjourned to
November 9, 2021.

The 499 students are being represented by Human Rights Lawyer Martin Kpebu.

But, even before the trial begins Parliament has passed a resolution to press on the General Legal Council to make sure that the 499 students who scored the minimum 50% mark during the Ghana School of Law entrance exams are admitted into the Ghana School of Law.

In view of this, Parliament led by First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei Owusu after resolution triggered by Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin, directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Godfred Yeboah Dame to ensure that the directive is carried out accordingly.

The resolution received bi-partisan support after Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Effutu Alexander Afenyo Markin put forward a spirited arguments for the lawmaking house to reach a decision on the matter. This was endorsed by Minority caucus of Parliament led by Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak who made a strong case for resolution to be passed on the matter.

Issuing the directive after the resolution by both sides of the lawmaking house, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei Owusu said “Attorney General is the leader of the bar in Ghana and he must see to it that our directive that 499 students who scored 50 mark are admitted is complied with. We don’t want to get to contempt of Parliament issues”.

It’s important to anchor the point that parliament is vested with the power to charge GLC for contempt of Parliament if it fails to comply with the directive to admit 499 students law students. GLC is a creature of Parliament.

Below is the debate on the floor of Parliament: 

Source: africaneditors.com