The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has opened up about the significant challenges he has encountered since taking office.
Speaking at the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Mr. Dame highlighted the complexities of his role during the government’s second term, which, he noted, often involves managing the aftermath of policies that may have been unpopular with the public in the first term.
Addressing a gathering of legal professionals, Mr. Dame shared that his time in office has been marked by several daunting moments. He disclosed that the legal counsel he has had to offer fellow ministers, at times, proved overwhelming due to the magnitude of the issues at hand.
He specifically cited the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme and the COVID-19 pandemic as key periods where his expertise was in high demand. During these moments, Mr. Dame provided critical legal advice to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health, respectively, to navigate the complexities of these high-stakes issues.
“The task of being an Attorney General in the second term of a government is not an easy one. It involves coming in at a time when the government has implemented a set of policies in its first term and made some tough decisions that may not be popular with the people.
“As the Attorney General, it involves making yourself unpopular by telling your colleague ministers that they cannot pursue certain legislations and policies which although in the national interest, may be compatible with the law.
“I remember the painful advice I gave to the Finance Minister on the domestic debt restructuring at the difficult time of the nation as well as the Health Minister, perhaps, at a more difficult time in the history of our nation.”
He added that he has, however, braved the difficulties of the office and currently doing his best to utilise the law to the development of Ghana.
“However, I have braved the challenges of the office and remained undaunted because I love the law and I love utilising the law as an instrument for the developing Ghanaian society.”
