The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame, has assured Ghanaians that the era of questionable and excessive judgment debts against the state is over.
Since assuming office in 2021, he noted that his team has successfully safeguarded the country’s financial interests in both domestic and international litigation.
Speaking at the Annual Ghana Bar Association Conference in Kumasi under the theme “Peaceful, Fair, and Transparent Elections: The Key to Sustainable Democracy,” Mr. Dame highlighted the significant strides made by his office in protecting the state’s coffers.
He revealed that through diligent legal work, the Civil Division under his leadership has saved the country billions of dollars, equivalent to over 15 trillion Ghana Cedis, in civil litigations.
“The era of unwarranted, dubious, and scandalous judgment debts against the State, I can say, are clearly a thing of the past,” Dame said, adding that his office remains committed to ensuring that Ghana is not subjected to unwarranted financial losses due to questionable claims.
He acknowledged the increased complexity of the legal landscape, especially with international litigation rising due to the growth of industrialization and foreign investments in the country.
These developments, he explained, have exposed Ghana to more disputes on the global stage, but he assured that his team has risen to the occasion, defending the country in courts across the world.
“The State has had to litigate in the domestic courts of Norway, defend numerous arbitration claims in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the London Court of International Arbitration, and other global legal forums,” Mr. Dame stated.
He emphasized the state’s favorable outcomes in these cases, often with little to no financial burden on the nation.
A particularly notable achievement, he added, is the fact that many of these complex cases were handled by the personnel of the Attorney-General’s office without outsourcing to external counsel.
“Now memorials, pleadings, and written submissions filed by the Office of the Attorney-General compare favourably with those filed by any lawyer on the international stage,” Dame asserted.
Despite facing ongoing challenges, including resource constraints, the Attorney-General expressed pride in the capacity and commitment of his team. He further called on Ghanaians, particularly critics of the government, to acknowledge the progress made in defending the country’s interests.
Mr. Dame also addressed the issue of social commentators who are quick to criticize the state’s efforts. He urged for more patriotism and understanding of the economic risks Ghana faced from losing high-stakes legal battles.
“These same people are quick to trumpet adverse awards given against Ghana in the past, obviously basking in the joy of such situations,” he remarked, urging the public to reflect on the consequences that could have befallen the nation’s economy if even a fraction of these claims had succeeded.
The Attorney-General reaffirmed his dedication to using the law as a tool for national development and protecting the interests of Ghanaians.
In February this year, the Ministry of Finance revealed significant figures regarding judgment debt payments made by the government between 2017 and 2022 in response to a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by JoyNews.
Documents provided in a letter dated August 2023 showed that a total of GH¢300,385,317.52 was disbursed during this period.