Update yourselves to meet challenges- Speaker

Accra (Greater Accra) 15 March '99

Mr Justice Daniel Francis Annan, Speaker of Parliament today urged lawyers to update themselves to be abreast with the current socio-economic regime controlled largely by international market forces. " In this era of globalisation and high technological transformation in the information industry, there is the need for the lawyer to look beyond his traditional horizon in his service to his client." Mr Justice Annan was the guest speaker at the opening of the 37th annual law week celebrations at the Ghana School of Law (GSL) in Accra. He said " the development of off- shore financing in many countries and the need for Ghana to be alert in the subject calls not only for a legal appraisal of the issues associated with such innovations in banking but also for general education on its implications for developing economies." The Speaker called for the inclusion of courses like development economics, banking, investment and business management in the curriculum of legal education. He was of the view that continued legal education is needed to keep lawyers abreast with new developments in the law. " We must develop a local culture of producing legal literature suitable to our local environment. " Mr Justice Annan asked the Ghana Legal Council to find a way to encourage the private sector to help in the funding of legal education. Mr Justice Edward Owiredu, a Supreme Court Judge, who presided, urged lawyers to help scrap the bad mannerism creeping into the bench by being critical of it. Justice Owiredu, who is the longest serving Judge in Ghana, said women have always had their way in personal development and national life and should therefore not pin themselves down with ideas which might destroy them. " Women empowerment should not mean fighting the man because he oppresses you. There are lots of women who have done it in life so why do you keep yourself down."