From 2nd to 6th December, 2019, the LUG Law Society organized this year’s Law Week Celebration. The theme for this year’s celebration was ‘The Attainment of Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Law’.
The week was characterised by different activities, and was organised by the executives of the Law Society with support from the Law Faculty. Here’s a recap of the 2019 Law Week:
– Day 1: On 2nd December, we had the opening ceremony with Guest Speakers Andrew Daniels Esq. and Mr. Kofi Abotsi. Mr. Andrew Daniels gave a very insightful speech on the theme. He made mention of the fact that the SDGs were a follow up and expansion on the Millennium Development Goals. The goals were similar, however the SDGs were designed to reach all aspects and improve the society in which we live in. He also included in his presentation that our Constitution being as progressive as it is, included a whole chapter on fundamental human rights, a crucial focus of the SDGs. Mr. Daniels posed a question saying, “our enactments are full of the right laws to aid in fulfilling the SDGs, but are we enforcing them?” Mr. Kofi Abotsi also added in his remarks that achieving the SDGs should be imbedded in our everyday lives and should not only be left to various committees to solve. He also added that the current and immediate former President of republic, Nana Akufo Addo and John Mahama respectively were both Ambassadors of the SDGs thus Ghana should be progressive in attaining these goals.
– Day 2: The Legal Seminar took place on Tuesday 3rd December 2019. The seminar took the format of a panel discussion where we had distinguished and well accomplished lawyers sitting on the panel. The panelists included Ms. Ama Awua Kyerematen, Mr. Lom Ahlijah, Mr. Kwasi Oppong Kyekyeku, Mr. Nana Boakye Adu-Poku and Mr. Faisal Gbadegbe. The panel discussion was moderated by Rodney Assan, an LUG Law student and carefully curated questions were asked to guide the discussions to focus on the theme. Our speakers each presented their opinions on the theme. Throughout all the contributions given by each speaker, there was an agreement that there are legislations and enactments in Ghana that can aid in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals however, the difficulty arises when those laws have to be enforced and implemented. The discussions then led the audience to ask thought-provoking questions that brought out different perspectives from our panelists.
– Day 3: Students presented academic abstracts for potential papers to be published in the Lancaster University Ghana Law Journal. Sarah Daniels, Winston Gunn, Douglas Shang Quartey, Rebecca Tetteh Adams, Kwabena Osei Bonsu, Oluwasegun Ojo, Noelle Oddoye and Perpetual Aboagye all presented their abstracts and answered questions on their topic from the audience and our Moderator and Chairperson, Ms. Afua Koranteng. The symposium had submission of abstracts focusing on the theme and also papers focusing on other areas of law.
– Day 4: The moot court had students imitate a real life court room scenario. The participants took on roles such as counsels, court staff and clerks as well as researchers. The case was a fictional one that required students to prepare extensively and deliver arguments to a sitting judge. Mr Reindorf Twumasi Ankrah was our invited judge.
Law week officially ended with the annual Law Dinner which took place on 6th December at MJ Grand hotel in East Legon. It was a fun night of fashion and glitz as law students came out in their best to mingle, network and have fun. Click here to view pictures from Law Week.
