he Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has acknowledged the significant challenges he has faced since assuming office.
Speaking at the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Godfred Dame noted that it can be especially difficult to take office during a government’s second term, as it often involves dealing with the aftermath of policies that may have been unpopular with the public during the first term.
He shared with the gathering that during his tenure, the challenges he encountered, and the advice he had to provide to his fellow ministers, were sometimes overwhelming.
Dame cited the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme and the COVID-19 pandemic as key moments when he had to offer legal counsel to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health, respectively, in navigating these complex 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.”
