Dr. Tobiga: "People Do Not Respect The Centrality of The Law"

A dismissed member of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) and Lawyer, Dr. Sintim Tobiga, has said, �the reason why there is public outcry� with regards to Nana Oye Lithur�s approval by Parliament is that, �people do not respect the centrality of the Law.� Dr. Tobiga noted that, our traditions, culture, customs, religious and personal beliefs become irrelevant when they come before the law. And answers must then be sought from the Law. He said this on Joy FM�s �newsfile�programme on Saturday,which he appeared on as a panelist discussing reasons for the public disagreement to the nomination and approval of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection. Dr. Tobiga started his submission by stating that, it is the duty of people with �substantial knowledge� to come out to discuss issues like this so as to �enrich the public� and build upon what we have. �I think what we have here represents a situation where we have a continuing duty to discuss with everybody, major social values and issues with respect to the law in particular, so that we appreciate that there is one theme. "That is, centrality of the Law. And that we as private elements, private persons of the society may have certain values but as we approach the Law, our personal beliefs and values diminish. And the Law takes over,� he explained. He argued that; �we cannot have a situation where at the center of our legal system, where the Law provides, we go in there and we have conflicts again. Though the Law is supposed to espouse our values, culture, and aspiration as a people, Dr. Tobiga insisted that, what we believe does not matter when it comes to the Law because it is what the Law says that will stand. According to him, there is public disagreement because people do not respect the centrality of the Law. If they had respect for the Law, �they act in conformity with the Law.� Dr. Tobiga stressed that, �If the Pope was sworn in as the President of Ghana, he would have no right but to enforce the Law as it is�. though he may have personal believes and religious beliefs as the Pope of the Catholic Church.�