Mastery, grit, courage: What Akufo-Addo, Bagbin, Dame said about late Akoto Ampaw

Akoto Ampaw was a lawyer who positively impacted the legal profession till his death on October 20, 2023, at the age of 73.

As part of an elaborate funeral across three regions, lying-in-state at the Forecourt of State House in Accra was the second event, which was attended by among others President Nana AddoDankwa Akufo-Addo, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin and Attorney-General Godfred Dame.

Others present included Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Kwame Asuah Takyi; Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare; statesman Sam Okudzeto, among other former and current ministers of state.

The selected few that had the opportunity to deliver tributes to the renowned lawyer had praise and more praise for him at the event of December 15, 2023.

Below are some of the tributes from the president, speaker and AG

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

“Affable, polite, respectful, with a keen sense of social justice, his calm and sympathetic manner brought a great deal of stability to the operations of a firm of highly strung, disputatious lawyers, who were always in a hurry.

“His mastery of the workings of the Courts proved invaluable to the growth of the firm,” the president said, adding that it became obvious that recruiting Akoto Ampaw was the best decisions of his life.

“He became an embodiment of the firm, and mentored successive generations of brilliant young lawyers who passed through the doors of Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co.

“Several, who went on to found their own chambers, going on to fame and fortune, were well aware that they owed their grasp of the rudiments of the profession to his care and attention,” the president stated in his tribute.

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin

“Having had the privilege of knowing him personally, I can confidently attest to his unwavering commitment to ensuring that the fundamental human rights of the Ghanaian was not exploited by any individual or institution.

“He was a man of extraordinary grit and had an exceptional sense of legal duty to humanity, and to make Ghana a more equitable society,” the Speaker stated.

AG Godfred Dame

Mr Dame said Akoto Ampaw imparted his knowledge without expectation of a reward and celebrated successes without inhibition.

“More admirable about Sheey was the valour and courage he mustered in defending a cause he deemed right.

“He taught that a lawyer ought to give his best to any client whether they had paid a fee or not,” the A-G said.

Bio as published by Graphic Online

Akoto Ampaw was a partner of the law firm, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co.

Lawyer Ampaw had an impeccable legacy in the legal fraternity, especially championing human rights campaigns and fair justice.

Akoto Ampaw graduated from the University of Ghana Law Faculty with an LL.B. in 1973 and the Ghana School of Law with B.L. in 1993.

He specialised in commercial law, company law, industrial law, litigation, constitutional and human rights law, media law, labour law, investment law among others.

He also served with the current Chief Justice on the Law Reform Commission.

In politics, he was part of the New Patriotic Party’s legal team in the 2013 Election Petition, which challenged the election of President John Dramani Mahama.

Again in 2021, when President Akufo-Addo was re-elected for a second term in office and former President John Mahama challenged the election results at the Supreme Court, Akoto Ampaw was part of the legal team of the President.

SARA

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