The Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, has advised the public not to pay bribes to court officials who request money ostensibly on behalf of judges for favourable decisions.

She said oftentimes such money was actually not requested by judges or given to them, but merely served as a ploy by unscrupulous court staff to enrich themselves.

Justice Torkornoo consequently urged the public to report to the Judicial Service any court staff who would request money under the guise of conveying it to a judge.

Event
She made the appeal at separate Chief Justice Community Sensitisation programmes at Akwatia in the Demkyembour District and Kraboa Coaltar in the Ayensuono District, both in the Eastern Region.
 
The programme is an initiative of Justice Torkornoo where she interacts directly with the public in communities to explain the work of the Judiciary and the basic principles of the law.

It is meant to demystify the work of the judiciary, and let the public have a better understanding and appreciation of the third arm of government. Justice Torkornoo said cooperation from the public in reporting cases of bribe, as demanded by court staff, would help the Judicial Service to stop the despicable and unpatriotic activities of court officials who created a market of siphoning money from court users on the pretence of giving it to judges.

 “Any court registrar, interpreter, clerk, recorder or any staff who asks for money to be given to a judge is a thief.

The truth is that in majority of these instances, the judges have not requested any money; the money does not go to them, and they are not even aware.

“Report such staff to the police and the Judicial Service.

We will investigate, and I will sack them if they are culpable and also ensure that they are decisively dealt with.

This is a bad culture destroying the image of the Judiciary, and we are determined to stamp it out,” she said. Public complaints
The Chief Justice said it was a crime and against the standards of the Judicial Service for court officials to demand money before performing their duties, meant to enhance justice delivery, to the public.

“Bring those people to our attention, and I will not hesitate to sack them, while they also face the full rigours of the law,” she said.

She said the doors of the Judicial Service were open to receive and act on complaints against staff of the service.

“There is a revamped Public Complaints Directorate with public complaints units at all courts.

My office accepts and acts on petitions daily.

Every day, not less than 10 petitions arrive on my desk, and we act on all of them.

“If you are aggrieved by the work of a registrar, clerk, judge or any court staff, let us know, and we will deal with it,” she said. Measures
The Chief Justice announced that as part of efforts to make the public understand the work of the Judiciary, the Judicial Service would soon come out with courts’ user guides that would explain the jurisdictions of the various courts.

The guides, she explained, would be made available at all court buildings so that the public could access them and understand in simple terms what a particular court could do.

She said the Judicial Service would also post on court premises the fees for the various services it provided to ensure transparency and to prevent staff from demanding more than what was appropriate.

“Let us allow the courts to serve us well.

We must come together and stop all the bottlenecks that frustrate people with the judicial system.

When the Judiciary succeeds, we will all have peace and prosperity,” the Chief Justice added. As part of the sensitisation programme, participants are allowed to ask the Chief Justice questions relating to the work of the Judiciary, with the Chief Justice answering and explaining the initiatives being implemented by the Judicial Service to improve access to justice and openness and fairness in justice delivery.

On the theme: “Improving Justice Delivery through Community Engagement”, the overall objective of the sensitisation programme is to educate the public and strengthen trust and confidence in the Judiciary.

The Chief Justice normally engages in the sensitisation programmes when she visits towns and villages to perform official functions such as the inauguration of new court buildings and infrastructure for the Judiciary.

So far, the programme has been organised in six communities, three in the Greater Accra Region, namely Baastonaa, Ada and Kwabenya, with the rest in the Eastern Region — New Abirem, Akwatia and Kraboa Coaltar. ADR
One of the main issues discussed by the Chief Justice at Akwatia and Kraboa Coaltar was the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and its significance in peaceful resolution of conflicts and litigations.

Justice Torkornoo urged litigants to take advantage of courts connected to the ADR system to resolve their differences, describing it as a faster and less cumbersome means of settling disputes.

Apart from the speedy process, she said, ADR also ensured that relationships between parties did not totally deteriorate as a result of dispute.

“ADR is private; it is your own solution, and it helps to preserve relationship which otherwise would become strained during laborious litigation in the normal court setting,” she said.

Source: graphiconline.com

The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Ghana, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has urged the political leadership of Ghana to put the interest of Ghana above that of their political parties.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the two-day National Development Conference organised by his church, on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, Apostle Nyamekye said that Ghanaians must learn to put the flag of Ghana above all else.

He said that every institution in Ghana must first think of projecting the flag and image of Ghana before their own.

“Everyone who lives in this land this is the flag (the flag of Ghana) we must project. It is not the NDC flag, it is not the NPP flag, not the CPP flag. They should be subservient to this flag.

“Decisions we take in this nation should be to the benefit of this flag. When Cabinet sit, let them think about this flag first. When parliament sits, let them lift this flag.

“When the churches are preaching, let them think about this flag. When the court sits let them think about it. May the Lord bless all of us and may He bless our homeland Ghana,” he said.

Apostle Nyamekye, who was preaching on the theme for the conference, “Moral Vision and National Development”, said that the key to the development of every nation is the charter of its citizens.

He said that without good values a nation can never develop and therefore there is a need for Ghana to develop a set of values that would guide its development process.

He added that the duty of the Church is not only to win souls but to also bring transformation to societies and hence the nation just like the protestant church brought to the United States of America and Canada.

The maiden conference, which is being held in partnership with the Ghana Journalists Association, is on the theme: “Moral Vision and National Development” and is aimed at discussing the need for a national moral vision with a concerted effort for national development.

It was graced by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo as well as former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama.

Also present at the opening of the National Development Congress 2023 which would last till Thursday, July 27, 2023, were government functionaries including the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta; the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng; Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare.

Members of Parliament, including Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, as well as Members of the Council of State were there in their numbers. Members of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, representatives of the various churches in Ghana as well as of the National Chief Imam were present.

The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has challenged Ghanaians, especially leaders, to put the national interest above their personal or partisan interests. “We have people in leadership who only think about their interests, and this is not good.

Live for the next generation and not just for the next four years,” Apostle Nyamekye charged, adding that “you cannot improve the future without addressing the present.

Therefore, let us think about tomorrow’s Ghana.

Whatever you do should benefit the nation.”

He said the nation would not experience steady progressive growth if its citizens, particularly those in leadership positions, continue to promote their individual interests at the nation’s expense.

Conference

He made the remarks at the opening of a two-day National Development Conference organised by the Church of Pentecost at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Gomoa Fetteh, near Kasoa, on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

The theme of the conference was “Moral Vision and National Development.”

Drawing lessons from Isaiah 59:14-15 and Proverbs 14:34, he opined that every leader’s success or failure lies in the people’s nature, character and confidence.

He stressed the need to uphold moral principles since no nation can realise its potential with people who live by conflicting values.

Apostle Nyamekye cited the case of Moses, Israel’s greatest leader, who could not enter the Promised Land, while Aaron made a golden calf for the people, resulting in his inability to enter the promised land due to the character and pressure of the people, which they failed to nip in the bud promptly and strategically.

“We need to have a set of moral principles that will guide the life of Ghana; a socially approved and acceptable pattern and norms of proper conduct shared by all,” advocated Apostle Nyamekye.

Values

Apostle Nyamekye lamented the decline in moral values in Ghanaian society and highlighted the church’s transformative mandate and historical antecedents to be involved in the conversation of national development.

He encouraged the mindset to build a better world based on the teachings of our forebears about equality, the dignity of labour and integrity in one’s words.

The conference, attended by a cross-section of Ghanaians from all parts of the country, including Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), political party representatives, assembly members and others, is expected to issue a communique at its conclusion.

During the event, the Vice-President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, delivered the keynote address, while former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama addressed the gathering.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost (CoP) says the country needs an environment that is hostile to corruption.

“We must create an environment that is hostile to corruption of water bodies, beaches, immorality, false judgements, and favouritism..”, he said.

Apostle Nyamekye said this at the 2023 National Development Conference of the Church of Pentecost at Gomoa-Fetteh in the Central Region.

The two-day event, which is in partnership with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), is to discuss the need for a national moral vision for national development.

It is on the theme: “Moral Vision and National Development.”

He said the country needed a shared value on morality because that was the only way politicians could lead with the next generation in mind and not the next election.

Apostle Nyamekye said without that shared value, the nation would be lost, explaining that “A vision makes a person, but moral vision a nation.”

He called for the projection of the National flag, stressing “When pastors preach, let them think about the flag. When Parliament sits, let the members think about the flag, not NPP or NDC flags.”

The CoP Chairman said the purpose of the Church was the “transformation of the National flag” and stated the readiness of the church to promote a righteous Ghana.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a speech read on his behalf by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, said the Government had put measures in place to promote transparency and encourage morally upright behaviours.

He said the measures included digitalisation, which was making service delivery effective and transparent.

The President stated the commitment of the Government to protect the environment and fight corruption.

He said efforts were being made to improve the lots of the populace by returning the economy to the “highway of growth.”

Former President John Dramani Mahama said ethics had a great impact on growth and development and that Ghana ought to maintain its high moral compass.

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor said “morality is humanity”, and commended the CoP and the Ghana Journalists Association for organising the event.

Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, said “Ghana can work again” and charged leaders and the citizenry to put the country first in all endeavours.

“We cannot and must not fail our people. Let’s put Ghana first for rapid socio-economic development.”

Mr Bagbin called for a renewed commitment to moral and ethical values, with a call on leaders, especially those in political office, to show openness, accountability and good governance.

“Let’s uphold high standards of ethics and morality and demonstrate the three ‘Cs’ -character, competence and care.”

He charged the Church to lead the crusade for the change of “the mind and heart” of the citizenry for a prosperous Ghana.

Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, GJA President, said corruption, indiscipline, impunity and greed had seized the consciousness of the country.

He, therefore, called for a rigorous national development agenda to reshape the moral vision of the country.

The Chief Justice, Madam Getrude Araba Torkonoo, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, and traditional and religious leaders were at the Conference.

Ghana’s second president under the Fourth Republic, Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, has called on the government to be accountable and transparent to the people of Ghana.

According to him, the governors of the country need to be responsible, accountable, and transparent to the governed in the scheme of governance.

Mr. Kufuor cautioned against abuse of office by government officials in the governance of any country.

The former president explained that the 1992 Constitution of Ghana confers sovereignty on Ghanaians, and for that matter,transparency and accountability are integral to governance.

Former President Kufuor was speaking at the maiden edition of the National Development Conference 2023, organised by the Church of Pentecost, on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

The conference, which took place at the Pentecost Convention Center in Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region, was on the theme ‘Moral Vision and National Development’.

“Indeed, the national constitution of Ghana reposes sovereignty in the people as a whole. This is why the conditions of accountability and transparency are requisite to governance so the governors will always be mindful that they hold power in trust of the people, the real owners of power” he stressed.

He commended the organisers of the two-day conference for bringing together all stakeholders to discuss issues concerning the development of Ghana and the theme chosen for the Conference.

The former president believed that the national development conference could be the touchstone to fix the proper compass for the development of Ghana.

He argued that all developments rolled out by a particular government can only be justified in terms of their service to better the lot of all citizens, regardless of tribe, religion, ideology, gender, or wealth, among others.

Other speakers at the Conference, held at the Pentecost Convention Center (PCC) in the Central Region, were former President John Dramani Mahama, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Speaker Alban Bagbin, and Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.

A former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, is appealing to the Ministry of Education to consider the reintroduction of moral education in Ghana’s curriculum.

His appeal follows some disturbances in some senior high schools in the country, including the recent happenings at the Adisadel College in Cape Coast.

Reacting to the Adisadel College incident in a radio interview with Accra-based 3FM, the clergy man said “Bring back morality; bring back patriotism in the curriculum.”

“A student at a school like Adisadel College can pick the head of a student and hit it with metal bed…” he bemoaned and said morals were declining among students in the country .

Adisadael College Incident

A recent video from the Adisadel College where one student was attacking the other went viral, attracting anger, fury and outcry from the public, who called for immediate action to be taken.

The incident, which happened at a dormitory at the Quaque House, left one of the students, Kelvin Ofori, who was attacked by a taller student, with a swollen cheek.

The taller and older student, identified only as Bobby, was seen in the viral video holding the neck of his victim from behind as though to strangulate him in the presence of other students who shouted cautionary remarks.

As the victim gasped for breath and tried to free himself from his attacker, the taller student pushed him towards a bunk bed and violently hit his face against the bed.

At that moment, Bobby was seen pushing Ofori away from him.

The victim examined his face and felt blood on a badly swollen cheek.

Suspension

The school has suspended Ofori and the bully, and the two third-year students are to write the WASSCE papers from home.

A statement from the school said the student who recorded the video and circulated it would also be suspended externally for one week, return and do internal work on suspension for another week, and bring the phone to the school, else he would also be sanctioned.

Also, others who were there but did nothing and also did not report would all go through some internal punishment.

The housemaster, Ekow Holman, has also been relieved of his post, pending the outcome of the investigation.

For the former Christian Council chief scribe, students are becoming wicked, hence the need to reintroduce moral education to help correct their wickedness.

It is common in Ghana to hear the phrase “the law is no respecter of persons”, but Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin disagrees.

According to the experienced politician, in Ghana, “so many people are above the law.”

The Speaker made this comment during a visit to the office of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) in Accra to meet with management and the editorial staff, as part of his efforts to strengthen Parliament-Media Relations.

While commenting on the decision of the High Court to resort to a daily trial for the Assin North Member of Parliament-elect, James Gyakye Quayson, Mr Bagbin said it was not right for the court to put Mr Quayson through that process following the perjury and forgery charges brought against him by the state.

He said the decision appears selective, particularly when no case has been handled in this manner.

“What we are doing is rule by law, not rule of law, and I think that we should move away from that. For democracy to succeed, the pillar is the rule of law. I tell them, and I tell the judges, it is not right. If it is done to everybody, I have no problem, but if it is done selectively, I have a problem,” Mr Bagbin said.

He added that “the law is no respecter of any person; that is one of the errors in our constitution. Read through our constitution and you’ll see the law is a respecter of so many people. So many people in Ghana are above the law. You can’t have democracy [with that], and so we need to work at it seriously.”

The speaker called on the public to, as a result, support calls for a constitutional review emphasizing that “it is something we must take up.”

The Accra High Court presided over by Justice Mary Yanzuh has ruled that the trial of the opposition NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson will be heard on daily basis starting from July 4, 2023.

The court ruled that its June 16 order announcing this arrangement was within the law and a case for a review had not been made.

The decision was protested by many including the MP-elect’s legal team.

However, the court maintained that “adjournments are at the discretion of the court and not the convenience of parties. The order of this court was clearly in line with the law. Nowhere was it demonstrated that the order was contrary to law.”

“His rights have not been violated by the court for refusing not to give him time to campaign. Mere refusal of the court does not constitute denial of right to fair trial,” the judge stated.

Mr Quayson is being tried for forgery and perjury after he was charged by the Attorney-General’s Office.

He is also accused of deceiving a public officer and knowingly making a false declaration when he filed nominations to contest in the 2020 election when he had not renounced his Canadian citizenship.

Background

This followed a Supreme Court ruling that the Electoral Commission acted unconstitutionally in allowing Mr Quayson to contest the 2020 parliamentary election without proof of him renouncing his Canadian Citizenship.

The apex court in its ruling ordered parliament to expunge James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records as a Member of Parliament. It further declared that his election was unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect. His swearing-in was equally declared to be unconstitutional.

Following the ruling, his seat was declared vacant and a by-election was held Tuesday, on June 27.

Mr Gyalye Quayson won the by-elections with 17,245 votes representing 57.56% of valid votes.

His main rival, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party polled 12,630 or 42.15% of valid votes to place second, while Liberal Party of Ghana’s Bernice Enam Sefanu polled only 87 votes or 0.29%.

Speaking to JoyNews about his victory, Mr Gyakye Quayson said the electorates in his constituency cannot be swayed by the governing New Patriotic Party.

“When it comes to the people of Assin North, nothing can break us apart. And if they (NDC) want to go for a by-election 10 times, I will win 10 times. I can assure you that.

“They are not in for money, they are in for real development and what I can say is that I am the first gentleman of Assin North now,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, he has filed a motion on notice at the High Court for stay of proceedings, pending an appeal.

The immediate past General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, has called on the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to go beyond the mere commemoration of Martyrs’ Day to talk about the human rights abuses in the system.

He said after 40 years of the celebration of the unfortunate killing of the three High Court judges, it was time for the association to raise concerns about the continuous violation of people’s rights.

He said people were gradually losing trust in the justice delivery system and rather resorting to unorthodox means of resolving issues, including invocation of deities and seeking refuge in the media.

“They should go beyond the celebration of memorial days and raise conversation on issues of human rights,“ he said.

Rev. Dr Opuni Frimpong explained that this had come about due to the perception that justice was for the highest bidder or the privileged.

Image redemption

Delivering a sermon at this year’s Martyrs’ Day celebration in Kumasi, Rev. Dr Opuni Frimpong urged the GBA to redeem its image by going beyond just the celebration to provide legal education to the public.

“There are still those who hold the view that justice is for the highest bidder, those who have money, those who have gone to school.

“It is not for village people, the illiterates, to the extent that even pastors are abusing people, and we are saying that as a nation, if we still hold the conscience of what happened 41 years ago, we must put on the national agenda issues of human rights and human dignity,” he said.

He urged lawyers and judges to use the day to “talk to Ghanaians in schools, churches, markets and media platforms that never again should Ghanaian soil drink the blood of innocent people like it happened 41 years ago”.

Ignorance

Rev. Dr Opuni Frimpong said if the association failed to do that, ignorant people might again join the bandwagon if there was a call for “let the blood flow” as it happened 41 years ago.

“Those days, I was a student then, and we were ignorant.

We didn’t understand what was going on but we joined.

“Today, there are still people who are supporting such things, and what we are saying is that people do that out of ignorance.

They don’t understand the law, and the way to address that is to give what I call legal education beyond the Law school,” he said.

He said knowing one’s right should not be just the preserve of those who had gone to Law school but ordinary people as well, stressing that “it must be facilitated by the Ghana Bar Association”.

Call to duty

The Ashanti Regional President of the association, Kwame Owusu Sekyere, called on his colleague lawyers to remain vigilant and take cognisance of the threats to the rule of law in the country if the death of the departed judges was to remain meaningful.

He said the rule of law would be meaningless “if there is no access to speedy and effective justice anchored on robust and effective legal representation of persons in conflict with the law”.

He stressed that without access to speedy and effective justice, “persons, especially members of the vulnerable groups, are unable to have their voices heard, exercise and protect their rights or hold decision- makers accountable”.

The Martyrs’ Day celebration is in remembrance of Justices Fred Poku Sarkodee, Cecilia Koranteng-Addow and Kwadwo Agyei Agyapong, all judges of the High Court, and a retired Army officer,  Major Sam Acquah, who were abducted on June 30, 1982, and later murdered

Former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana and coordinator of the Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa, Rev Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong has taken on lawyers and judges for failing to redeem their poor public image.

He said that the Ghanaian public does not seem to see lawyers and judges in a positive light because of perceptions of corruption and bias, which they (lawyers and judges) have failed to dispel.

Rev. Opuni-Frimpong, famed for his forthright commentary on public issues, noted that such negative perceptions have led to a loss of trust in the judiciary and its ability to administer justice.

Rev Dr Opuni-Frimpong made the remarks at a mass to mark 41 years since the gruesome murder of three High Court judges and a retired soldier – Justice Fred Poku Sarkodie, Mrs Justice Cecelia Koranteng-Addow, Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong, and Major Sam Acquah.

“Forty-one years on, there are real public perceptions that is not in your favour; that is not the story of these people we are celebrating. But after 41 years, this one is your story. Redeem your public image. Ghana Bar Association (GBA) must redeem its public image because how Ghanaians are thinking about lawyers and judges is not in your interest…There is still a notion in this country that Justice is for the highest bidder; justice is for the privileged individual; justice is not for ‘village’ people, women accused of witchcraft. There are people who still believe that,” he thundered.

Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has praised Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, for asking the judiciary to be impartial.

The legislator believed that what the man of God said was true and needed to be said.

The man of God asked the judiciary to work hard to regain Ghanaians’ trust in the court’s ability to deliver justice.

Addressing Judges and attorneys on Friday, June 30, 2023, in Kumasi during the 41st anniversary of Martyrs Day, which celebrates the kidnapping and assassination of three High Court Judges and a retired Army Officer, the Theologian claimed many Ghanaians had lost faith in the court to provide justice.

Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, a Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), stated that there were allegations circulating around that some attorneys and judges conspired together in return for goats and envelopes when cases are brought before them.

He further stated that the judges are sometimes handed estates in exchange for a favour.

“There’s still a notion in this country that justice is for the highest bidder, justice is for the privileged individual. That is why there are people who still hold the notion in this country, the perception that justice is better served at the shrine than the court.

“We are in Kumasi, and many people seeking justice rather prefer invoking the wrath of deities and consulting shrines to settle their matter rather than going to court.

“So, there are those who think going to court is a waste of time. They trust the shrines and prayer centres more than you people. We need to work on this. Forty-one years ago, we condemned, and we continue, today we are still condemning acts of injustice in this country, and we are still moving on.”

In response, Dr. Apaak praised the Reverend Minister for having the bravery to make such bold statements.

He described the remarks as frank, adding that the points addressed by the man of God were accurate and needed to be stated.

He hoped the statements would lead to introspection, reflection, and constructive change.

“I commend Rev. Dr. Opuni-Frimpong highly for his bold, candid, and honest speech during the 41st Martyrs Day Memorial Service. The truth must be stated, with the hope that it will lead to introspection, reflection, and positive change. I couldn’t agree more. See attached!” he said in a tweet.

Former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong has urged the judiciary to work very hard to win the trust of Ghanaians in believing in the court to deliver justice.

Addressing Judges and lawyers on Friday, June 30, 2023, in Kumasi at the 41st anniversary of Martyrs Day which commemorates the abduction and killing of three High Court Judges and a retired Army Officer, the Theologian said many Ghanaians have lost trust in the judiciary to dispense justice.

“There’s still a notion in this country that justice is for the highest bidder, justice is for the privileged individual. That is why there are people who still hold the notion in this country, the perception that justice is better served at the shrine than at the court. We are in Kumasi, many people seeking justice rather prefer invoking the wrath of deities and consulting shrines to settle their matter rather than going to court.

“So, there are those who think going to court is a waste of time, go come go come, a waste of time. They trust the shrines and prayer centers more than you people. We need to work on this. Forty-one years ago, we condemned, and we continue, today we are still condemning acts of injustice in this country, and we are still moving on.”

Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong who’s a Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) charged the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to provide legal literacy to the public.

“There is legal illiteracy in Ghana, people are so ignorant and the painful side of the story is the unsustainable support system. There are people who don’t know what to do, if you are lucky to have a lawyer friend in your church at the end of the service you walk to the Pastor and call the lawyer, but how many people have lawyers in their church and how many lawyers are prepared to do this?

“So there are people who have… the police will say this is a fine case, but they don’t know where to go because the support system is not there. They don’t understand how the legal system functions. We are a nation where people are still hurt.”

Rt. Rev. Dr. Hilliard Dela Dogbe has been elected Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana at the Council’s last Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at the Head Office of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Accra, Ghana.

He takes over from the Rt. Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante who served as Chairman of Council for two years.

Profile

Rt. Rev. Dr. Hilliard K. Dela Dogbe is the Presiding Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (A.M.E Zion Church), Western West Africa Episcopal District, an area covering Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, with additional responsibilities over Angola and Namibia.

He is the First Resident Indigenous Bishop of the A. M. E Zion Church in Ghana. Rt. Rev. Dr. Dogbe is a product of Accra Academy and Trinity College, University of Ghana, Legon.

He is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ where he graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Practical Theology (Christian Education) and Trinity Theological Seminary, Accra, Ghana where he graduated with a Master of Theology in Pastoral Care and Counseling.

He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Practical Theology with distinction from Luther Seminary, St Paul, MN, USA, and has several certificates to his credit in leadership and administration.

The Rt. Rev. Hilliard Dogbe is a member of the Society of Pastoral Theology, an international professional body of pastoral theologians, headquartered in Decatur, Georgia. He has served as an adjunct professor in practical theology at Luther Seminary, and still teaches as an adjunct at Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon.

As an ordained minister of the A. M. E. Zion Church, he has over 20 years’ experience in pastoral ministry and has also served for many years as an International Supervisor for Field Education for Princeton Theological Seminary, U.S.A.

Dr. Dogbe has authored two books: “Alcoholism in the African Family: A Christian Perspective” (2011) and “The Church and Alcoholism in Ghana: A Practical Theological Interpretation” (2014). Bishop Hilliard Dogbe is married to Cynthia and they are blessed with two children

REV DR KWABENA OPUNI-FRIMPONG – ON CHRISTIAN MISSION TO THE PALACE