Legal council for Ghana deny popular social media influencer call to bar for di second time

For di second time, di general legal council don deny popular Ghanaian social media influencer and vlogger, Elorm Ababio aka Ama Governor, im call to di bar as a lawyer.

Di first time dem bounce am be in November 2022 wen di council receive one petition against am say im no display good conduct.

Ama Governor don tok at di time say na “abuse of im rights and miscarriage of justice”.

Di YouTuber say six years im pursue law for di country go waste as di general legal council yank am off di list sake of ‘misconduct’.

Ama don pass all im academic requirements.

E don happun say, six days before di call to di bar, one Hajia Siduri petition di legal council say Ama no fit be lawyer sake of in lifestyle den social media activities be inappropriate.

Di pesin say Ama dey wear skimpy clothes, wey im dey do too much for social media.

Dem no call am to di bar in November 2022.

Na so Ama rant for social media say di legal council treat am “unfairly”.

Chief Justice respond to Ama

Chief justice for Ghana, Gertrude Torkono tok say Ama Governor deserve im fate.

Im tok for di 7th annual legal ethics training programme for Ghana institute of management and public administration on 1 August 2023 say, im surprise how pipo make noise about di matter.

Di CJ explain say if “you wan come di legal sector, your conduct for no be obscene den offensive, e no dey work like dat.”

Im also add say di law students for watch dia social media comments.

But Ama Governor say im no fit understand wetin im do wrong.

Di vlogger tweet say im still dey wait make di Ghana school of law tok am wetin im do since November 2022.

Ama talk say she “no dey fit stand di way di system dey tarnish im image for di matter wey no be true”.

Ama don tok say di GLC dey victimize am sake of im be bold pesin wia dey advocate feminism, body positivity, sexual liberation den self-worth.

Im also add “di fact say I be queer no be justifiable grounds say make dem deny me call to di bar.

Section 3 of di legal profession act, 1960 (act 32) don tok say pesin go qualify for enrolment if dem satisfy general legal council say “dem dey of good character.”

E bi dis provision di council take remove Ama from di 2022 call to di bar.

'Legal council bin give Ama second chance'

Many pipo don blast di general legal council say dem dey use ancient mentality run legal affairs for di kontri.

Human right groups, oda lawyers den LGBTQ+ advocates bash dem over dia treatment of di social influencer.

Na so in September 2023, di legal council tok say dem consider di complaint wia dem permit Ama say make im begin application process to be called to di bar for di October 2023 session.

But pipo tok say one viral video of di social media influencer for di recent #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration fit be wetin don change di mind of di legal council.

For dat video, Ama Governor tok say im win di case for di disciplinary committee hearings.

Im also tok say im lawyers justify for di hearing why im sexuality no be basis for dem to deny am call to di bar.

“Di petitioner don give two fallacious grounds den one insufficient ground wia di committee throw dem all out.”

“I tok di committee say yes, I be queer, pansexual but dat no mean say I no fit to be lawyer,” Ama explain.

Ama bin add say “pipo don dey congratulate me since di glc tok in September say make I prepare to be called to di bar.”

But two days before di call to di bar, di GLC don write to Ama Governor again, revoking di call for di second time.

For one letter wia judicial secretary Justice Pamela Koranteng don sign, di council tok say dem no go fit call am to di bar on 20 October 2023.

“We dey decline your call sake of some tins we see for your public conduct prior to your application to di council,” di letter tok.

Di council say dem go continue monitor im conduct from now.

Many pipo and groups dey tok say dis U-turn be sake of di interview Ama grant to media during di 3-day #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration in September.

But for Ama, im dey maintain say im pass all di requirements say dem for call am to di bar as lawyer for di kontri.

E no be di first time di GLC dey do dis kind thing, only say dis one cause wahala for social media.

In 2022, di GLC reportedly deny two students sake of dem break “rules of robing applicable to legal practitioners for dia call to di bar.

Di call to di bar be formal meeting for di GLC wey dem get formalities for am as dem capture for section 7 of di legal profession act, 1960 (act 32).

For May 2023, some pipo petition di GLC make dem no call di students representative council president, Wonder Kutor to di bar over alleged “lack of good character”.

Dem tok say Wonder tarnish di image of di school of law wey im also do di students 419 for some transactions im do as he be SRC president.

But di GLC call am to di bar on April 5, 2023.