President Akufo-Addo is expected to deliver a keynote address at the 2021 Annual Conference of the Ghana Bar Association on Monday, 13th September 2021 in Bolgatanga.
Since 2017, President Akufo-Addo, who is a member of the Bar has been delivering an address at their Annual Conference.
This year’s conference is expected to witness one of the most keenly contested elections of the Association with strong competitions at the positions for National President, Vice President, and Treasurer.
The stand-out contest, perhaps, is the contest between Mr. Yaw Boafo, currently the National Secretary and former Ashanti Regional President, and Mrs. Efua Ghartey, currently the Greater Accra Regional President, who are both vying for the position of National President.
The last Bar conference in Koforidua fielded three contestants for the position of National President: Mr. Tony Forson Jnr., Mrs. Efua Ghartey, and Mr. Peter Zwennes with Mr. Tony Forson Jnr winning the national presidency of the Bar with his ICT message.
The key issues for this year’s election include the role of ICT in managing the affairs of the GBA, adaptability to COVID-19 continuing legal education for lawyers, and remuneration for lawyers, particularly, newly enrolled lawyers.
Already, the current administration has laid a solid ICT foundation with the introduction of a customized IT platform that has simplified payment of relevant fees and remarkably improved the renewal time of license for lawyers and chamber registration.
The virtual platform which was developed before the covid has simplified processes and lawyers can join continuing legal education seminars from the comfort of their homes or offices and abroad.
For the first time in the history of the GBA, the Annual General Conference is going to be held both physically and virtually.
The integration of virtual participation for this year’s Bar conference is also a testament to the progress made in this area and a strong indication of the quick adaptability of the Association to the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Going forward, members are expected to seek assurances from contenders as to how well these gains can be consolidated and enhanced to make the Association more efficient.
The issue of remuneration, particularly, for newly enrolled lawyers is also turning out to be a key election issue with concerns of many young lawyers that systems must be instituted to ensure some enhanced compensations for them.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Kofi Atakora
