The Lancaster University Ghana (LUG) Law Colloquium is an initiative by the University to stimulate and sustain discourse within the legal academic community about pressing matters in Ghana particularly and Africa in general.
As academia is in charge of legal education, it is important that we constantly evaluate the laws and practices we train students in to give the bench and other state players feedback as to the problems and virtues we have identified in our legal order. All the papers at this colloquium were therefore by members of faculty who deal with different aspects of African Law in their universities. Last year’s inaugural edition was a one day event with four institutions participating. This year’s edition has papers from Nigeria, Ghana and the UK and spanned two days. This growth over a single year shows the acute need for such public discourse in Ghana and Africa.
Dr Cynthia Forson (Associate Professor & Deputy Provost, Lancaster University Ghana), said it is remarkable that this is only the second time that Lancaster University Ghana is hosting the Colloquium on Law and Development. The event is slowly gaining a reputation as a medium for legal academics to deliberate on issues of importance to Ghana, the West African sub-region and the African continent.
For a matter of convenience the papers were categorised under four broad thematic areas on: Law and Society, International Law, Constitutions and the rights they create and Legislation Review. Discussions included varied and exciting topics on international law and shariah, sales transactions, abortion, the evolution of customary law, affirmative action legislation, intellectual property rights, informed consent in medical treatment and ownership of sperm. All these topics confirm the omnipresent nature of legal structures rules in our everyday lives.
Papers delivered at the 2nd Annual Law Colloquium included;
- Seven phases in the evolution of customary law in Africa: signposts from Ghana – Raymond Atuguba, University Of Ghana
- Informed consent in medical treatment and the challenge of traditional Ghanaian culture – Ernest Owusu-Dapaa, Lancaster University Ghana
- Who owns the sperm under Ghanaian Law Prof Kwaw, Kings University College
- Law and development: lessons from new organized religion in Ghana – Prof Kofi Kufuor, University Of East London
- “Woyome” and the Ghana legal system: rethinking the adversarial nature of the Ghana legal system for an improved fight against corruption in Ghana – Tuinese Edward Amuzu, Lancaster University Ghana
- The right to security: challenges and prospects for human rights in Ghana – Maame Yaa Barnes, Lancaster University Ghana
- A constitutional moment lost: a dirge to the constitution review process in Ghana – Nana Tawiah Okyir, GIMPA
- A constitutional convention nearly formed, slips through our fingers: why Doe Adzaho’s tenure as Speaker of parliament is constitutionally unfortunate – Maame AS Mensa-Bonsu, Lancaster University Ghana
- Protection of the rights of refugees: the paradox of implementation in Ghana – Ruth Abiola Adimula, University of Illorin
- The right to development: a horse without a rider? – Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo, Lancaster University Ghana
- The Proposed Affirmative Action Legislation: Do the provisions achieve the objective of promoting gender equality in Ghana? Gloria Ofori-Boadu, GIMPA
- Legal implication of Section 13 of the Sales of Goods Act of Ghana 1962 in a sale transaction: caveat emptor or caveat venditor – Edmund Nelson Amasah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Dr. Cynthia Forson in her closing remarks expressed the hope that the success of the event would lead the way in creating an atmosphere that fosters research, development and sharing of useful knowledge.
View pictires fron the 2nd Annual Law Colloquium here
