Completion of “Law House” Shows Govt’s Commitment To The Rule of Law – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has stated that the completion of the “Law House” edifice which will serve as the new office complex for the Attorney General’s Department and the Ministry of Justice, is a firm demonstration of his government’s commitment to the promotion of the rule of law in the country.

Addressing attendees of the commissioning ceremony of the “Law House” (Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice) at the forecourt of the 10-storey building, today, Monday, 10 June 2024, President Akufo-Addo said the completion of the “Law House” also stands as a testament to the NPP government’s commitment to addressing the age-old office accommodation problem that has plagued the Attorney General’s office and the Ministry of Justice for far too long.

“This state-of-the-art facility will now house the office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice providing a conducive environment for the efficient administration of the law in our country.

“The importance of this building goes beyond its physical. It symbolizes our strong dedication to upholding the tenets of the rule of law which is the bedrock of any thriving democracy,” President Akufo-Addo remarked.

“The rule of law ensures that no one is above the law, that is the concept of equality before the law is respected, that justice is administered fairly and impartially, and that the rights and freedoms of every citizen are protected. It is the foundation on which we build an equitable, free, and just society” Akufo-Addo further remarked.

The president, in his address, expressed his gratitude to the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, his two deputies, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah and Diana Asonaba Dapaah, and the entire leadership of the department and ministry for his dedication to ensuring that what had become another abandoned government project was revived and completed.

“I must at the onset, pay glowing tribute to the work undertaken by the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in bringing us to this day. We assumed office as Attorney General in 2021, after 4 years as Deputy Attorney General, the completion stages of the “Law House” project was as we have been told, at 36%,” President Akufo-Addo said.

“His commitment together with my support was instrumental in reviving and bringing the project to completion. His efforts ensured that this initiative which could have easily ended up as an abandoned government project was implemented to become the impressive structure that we are celebrating. He has done a yeoman’s job and I say a hearty “Ayekoo” to him” the President added.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in his remarks, stated that he is pleased to be the Attorney General under whose tenure the “Law House” has been completed.

He observed that after receiving complaints and get into the same, about the poor working environment that State Attorneys were forced to work in after he assumed office as the Attorney General in March 2021, he purposed in his heart that he would get the buy-in of the President and the minister of finance then, Ken Ofori-Atta, to complete the “Law House”.

To his pleasure, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the finance minister then, Ken Ofori-Atta, offered him their full blessing and support for the project to be completed. Nearly 4 years on, the same has been completed.

“In all of this, the utmost cooperation of the President and his Minister for Finance was phenomenal. Sir, I sat down with you, I was the beneficiary of your kindness and goodwill. In the face of many competing demands on the public purse, your unique recognition of the importance of the legal sector to national development and the need to satisfy the critical needs of the sector were simply remarkable.

“I perceive the President’s commitment to this project as divine. He was responsible for the inception of the project as Attorney-General and he was the man to commission it as President of the Republic. Hardly have the stars aligned to make a story so remarkable!” the AG, Godfred Yeboah Dame stated.

“Following a special appeal I made to Cabinet in June 2021, the Minister for Finance at the time, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, assured me of the regular release of funds to support the construction of the Law House and he honoured his word” the Attorney General added.

In his statement, the Attorney General further observed that he dreams “of a modern public legal service for our nation fully equipped to live up to its onerous constitutional and statutory duties of rendering competent legal advice to the Republic of Ghana, and, representing the State in the complexities of modern-day local and international transactions.”

The “Law House” according to the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, “represents a giant step towards realising that dream. Consisting of 12 stories – ten stories above ground and a two-tier basement for a car park – it is a model for the efficiency of the use of public land”.

“In addition to the good number of offices for state attorneys, it boasts of a vast conference room, a canteen, two libraries, rooms for pupils, interns, and researchers, kitchenettes, and a big space on the 10th floor for parties.

“The Attorney-General’s facilities include a conference room which can seat about thirty people whilst there are two specific suites for two deputy Attorneys-General including a study and a room for their assistants,” the AG said in description of the “Law House” facility.

Lady Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, in her solidarity statement, noted that the newly constructed “Law House” standing next to the largest law court building in the country, is a demonstration of the fact that the country is placing the delivery of justice at the heart of the country’s democracy.

In his address, the president of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Yaw Boafo said in his estimation, the contraction of the “Law House” is the single biggest investment in the history of the Attorney General Department and Ministry of Justice. He added that by the construction of the new edifice, the government of Ghana has demonstrated that it takes very seriously its mandate of empowering state institutions.

Prophet Yaw Annor, Senior Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Holy Ghost Temple, performed the symbolic dedication of the “Law House” ultra-modern facility.

The as-built project period spanned the tenures of four presidents, John Kufuor, Professor Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (a period of about 24 years).

The works, including the preparation of drawings, preparation of contract documents, and obtaining of relevant permits and statutory approvals, actually commenced in 2001 in the tenure of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the then Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. The project site was handed over to the contractor on July 23, 2001.

The various Attorneys General and Ministers for Justice in whose tenure part of the works were carried out are Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (2001 – 2003), Papa Owusu-Ankomah (2003-2005), Ayikoi Otoo (2005-2006), Joe Ghartey (2006 – 2009), Betty Mould-Iddrisu (2009 -2011), Martin Amidu (2011 – 2012), Benjamin Kumbuor (2012 – 2013), Marrietta Brew Appiah-Opong (2013-2017), Gloria Akuffo (2017 – 2021) and Godfred Yeboah Dame (2021 to date).

By the time Godfred Yeboah Dame assumed the mantle as Attorney General and Minister for Justice, the state of completion of the entire works was 36%: Although not meant to downplay the contributions of other Ministers before him, it is worth mentioning the unique role played by the current Attorney General, (2021 to date) with the backing of the Cabinet of President Akufo-Addo.

The special personal commitment by the Minister, in ensuring the completion of the project, gave it the much-needed lifeline. This played a crucial role in turning the project from one of the numerous abandoned government projects that have plagued the nation into the magnificent and usable completed edifice we have today.

At the initiation stage, the project was planned to be an 8-story office facility. This was subsequently revised to a 10-story structure with two-level basements.

The “Law House” boasts of a significant number of office spaces to house the head office of the entire Ministry and convenient parking spaces for vehicles in the two-tier basements.

M/S Energo Projekt Ghana Limited (Energo Projekt) was awarded the contract for the construction of the project at an initial cost of Twenty-One billion, one hundred and thirty million, one hundred and eighty- three thousand, four hundred and eighty-five cedis only to be delivered within forty (40) calendar months.

By 2005, the contract sum had been revised to GH¢ 50,000,000,000.00 (Fifty Billion Cedis) only, essentially as a result of scope creep and fluctuation. The project went through similar modifications until it was re-awarded. The project site was handed over to the contractor on July 23, 2001.

Due to several challenges enumerated below, the official sod cutting was performed on July 15, 2005, by the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Ayikoi Otoo. After resolving other project challenges, excavation for the basement works and fixing of cranes started in the latter part of November 2005.