Retired Supreme Court judge, Justice William Atuguba has praised some individuals and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for what he described as their nationalist advocacy.

Justice Atuguba who was speaking at a public lecture organised by Solidaire Ghana and the Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana singled out the likes of #FixTheCountry convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor and others for plaudits.

“No meaningful political reforms can be reasonably expected even under a regime change without sustaining the political renaissance which has started and is growing well in Ghana.

“That’s why I agree to come, because I lost hope but when I see these young people, some are what, Vormawor, I have never seen him. I hear he is here, can you favour me with me seeing you?” he requested.

He, however, had a word of caution for the activist who is has been standing trial for treason following an arrest in February 2022.

“But be careful with politicians. You see, enthusiasm, you can do it. Even as I am saying here, hey. But you see if you throw a careless thing and they get at you, you have no defense.

"So just keep to the principles, insist on the principles without falling to the temptations of the kind of pedestrian political garbage that is spewed out on our airwaves almost every day. That aspect is not necessary,” he advised.

Others who earned the plaudits of the former Supreme Court judge include the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, leading New Patriotic Party member Dr Kwabena Arthur Kennedy and Prof Ransford Edward Van Gyampo of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana.

Economist and Professor of Finance Godfred Bokpin, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD) Professor Agyeman-Duah, former lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Dr Amoako Baah, renowned economist Kwame Pianim, Rev. Opuni-Frimpong, William Wilson, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe and America-based journalist Kevin Ekow Badu Taylor, were also on his list.



“I don’t know most of these people I have mentioned personally but I have followed their work on social media and I am impressed. However, I hope they will remain nationalistic no matter the regime in power.

"That is very important because if some of them are just doing it because they are opposed to this president that is not good enough. If the next regime comes, even if it is your own party, you have to remain like that if you are to be true and sincere to mother Ghana. Then we will get somewhere," he stressed.

He also praised organisations such as the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Citizen Ghana Movement, Africa Centre for Energy Policy, Parliamentary Network Africa, Penplusbytes, Media Foundation for West Africa, SEND Ghana, One Ghana Movement, Democracy Hub, Occupy Ghana and the Institute for Democratic Ghana.

The lecture was on the theme “Protecting Ghana’s Democracy: The Role of the Judiciary.”

Watch the video below:



GA/SARA


Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

You can also watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below: