Ghana: Prof Gatsi Calls on Lawyers to Embrace Legal Analytics

Prof John Gatsi. renowned economist at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Capes Coast, Central Region, Ghana//-Professor John Gatsi of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has called on lawyers in Ghana to embrace legal analytics and promote the legal profession in the West African country.

According to him, embracing legal analytics is the cardinal tool needed to aid in advocacy and training of lawyers.

Prof Gatsi who is also a lawyer, made the call at the roll call of law students at the Faculty of Law at the College of Humanities and Legal Studies at UCC.

Prof Gatsi  who is the Dean of the UCC Business School, explained that  the number of years at the Bar and affinity to a particular jurisprudential school of thought cannot be a set back against developing data analytics skills to be applied in legal matters such as case development, application of cases and general administration.

He quoted from Thomas Carothers and Hernando De Soto to establish the point that the difference between the level of development in advanced countries and less advanced ones is the legal system and the extent of effective legal reforms.

To the fresh students, Prof Gatsi told them that a lawyer must be inspired by the law; he or she must project the law and an advocate for a better society.

He told the gathering chaired by the Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies at UCC, Prof Francis ERIC Amanquandoh that the law has the power to bring to an end to the pains of a segment of the society even if such ills have been accommodated for a very longtime.

Prof Gatsi explained  how in the case of Quartey versus Martey  wives were not entitled to a share in property acquired during the marriage in 1959 but 16 years later spouses were to benefit from marital property if they could prove substantial contribution.

He explained further that improvements in the case of  Mensah versus Mensah  which was delivered in 2012  where the principle of jurisprudence of equality is equity  was pronounced to affirm the provisions of Article 22 of the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution.

He further argued that even though in Fynn versus Fynn a caution was given against blanket application of equality is equity principle in Mensah v. Mensah, the caution did not decimate the application of the principle.

Prof Gatsi also pointed to the students about the recognition given to spousal property rights and the equality-equity equilibrium  in conveyance in Ghana by referring to sections 38 and 47 of the Lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036).

He solidified his argument about the power of the law by stating that the law is not just a set of rules but a powerful and well-thought out to make society better.

That even where bad laws exist it takes the law making process to correct bad laws even if it takes a longtime. That joining the law profession is not simply about joining a profession in its own class but a profession that is an agent of development, according to him,

The lawyer and economist indicated that the law is not a product of accident in a democracy, emphasising that the law captures the aspirations of society that is why the rule of law is the cornerstone of a progressive society.

The law may not be perfect that is why the law must be developed by judges, lawyers and legal researchers to anchor the values and expectations of society.

The Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UCC, Dr Peter Atupare admonished the students to learn the law as it is supposed to be learned with high level of ethics.

African Eye Report

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