The FALAS Lifetime Legal Achievement Award is the highest award under the reputable scheme of awards by the Federation of African Law students that could be awarded to any legal luminary on the continent of Africa. The award is as a result of one’s unprecedented impact in the legal industry who is worthy of recognition, admiration and commendation. Having followed the track-record of excellence and being a figure that represents all that students labor to achieve, Ghanaian legal heavyweight, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye Snr,PhD, the Speaker of the 7th Parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana is amongst the first ever recipients of the “FALAS Lifetime Legal Achievements Award“. The Rt. Hon. Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, Speaker of the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic, is a barrister of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, and a senior member of the Ghana Bar. As an academic, he achieved the singular distinction of winning within four years, the coveted International Rockefeller Senior Scholar Award and the Senior Fulbright Scholar Award in 1993 and 1997 respectively. The Fulbright award is considered the highest award in academia. He was a visiting scholar in connection with these awards in London (SOAS), and Virginia (George Mason), USA. He was Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana, Legon (October 1999-January 2002) and also the Vice-President of Africa Association of Political Science (AAPS) (1997-1999). He has researched and written extensively on good governance, conflict, political education, decentralization, human rights, military intervention in politics, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), rural development, Parliamentary Democracy and gender. He is a keen advocate of the rights of women, including affirmative action. He is one man who has regularly featured in conferences on gender in this country and abroad. His books and articles have been published in England. Canada, USA, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ghana. His rich experience in African politics has been tapped by many institutions in Ghana and abroad. Prof. Mike Oquaye is an accomplished diplomat, legislator, politician, among others. On the diplomatic landscape, he served as Ghana High Commissioner to India (2002-2004); As a Politician and Legislator, he served as the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency (2005-2013), Minister of Energy (2005-2006); Minister of Communication (2006-2007) and the Second Deputy Speaker of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana (2009-2013). Ghana’s High Commissioner to India His tenure as Ghana’s High Commissioner to India recorded unrivaled achievements which include: Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in Information Technology, a show-piece in Africa; •Ghana Presidential Palace and Office Complex; •Tractors on concessionary terms to revamp agriculture and •One Hundred and Two Million Dollar (USD 102,000,000) facility to Ghana, which had forty eight percent (48%) grant element, twenty five (25) years repayment period, five (5) years moratorium and 0.5 percent interest rate per annum. Minister for Energy As the Energy Minister, he presided over the: •Deregulation exercise •Expansion and maximum application of the Tema Oil Refinery •Unprecedented petroleum exploration. He actually negotiated an signed the agreement with Tullow Oil, which led to the first discovery of oil in Ghana; •Recapitalization of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) was identified and steps intensified to resolve same; •Amendment of the VRA Act, which brought about the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in Ghana. This allowed Asogli and other IPPs to operate; •Commissioning of the West Africa Gas Pipeline by President Kufuor; •Signing of Bui Dam Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sino-hydro Corporation of China in September, 2005. Minister for Communications •Ghana and China signed a US$30 million agreement for the National Backbone project; •The World Bank gave Ghana a US$40 million concessionary facility after all the relevant benchmarks had been satisfied in record time; •The Ghana Society for the Blind was provided with the braille computer system with the help of the Government of India. •He was in charge of the initial steps for the divestiture of Westel and Ghana Telecom; •Ghana attained record Teledensity and rural telephony target with Chinese assistance. Parliament of Ghana As a Parliamentarian, he took keen interest in legislation and made meticulous endeavor in detecting minute slips. He made brilliant statements and various comments and contributions which were rich in depth. He served on the Committee on Members Holding Office of Profit, Standing Orders Committee, Committee on Defence and Interior, Committee on Local Government and Committee on Communication. As the Second Deputy Speaker, his evenness and equanimity pleased both sides of the House when he presided. International Relations Having risen through the ranks to become the Speaker of Parliament for the 7th Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye’s aura attracted many distinguished personalities to Ghana and to Parliament House, including the august visit of the first ever sitting Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Patricia Pelosi, who was also granted audience to address the House; the Prime Minister of Barbados, Her Excellency, Mia Amor Mottley, QC., MP, who also addressed the House; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the Speaker of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga (MP), who also visited on the Speaker’s invitation and gave a brilliant lecture on Affirmative Action and Women Participation in Politics. Human Rights As a Legislator himself, Rt. Hon. Prof. Oquaye’s passion for Affirmative Action led him to initiate measures to advocate for women and children inclusion, people with special needs, and gender equality. He has also shown interest in the welfare of the marginalized in the society, including various donations to persons with disabilities and sought the release of a pregnant woman from the Nsawam Female Prisons. Proceedings The Speaker’s passion, together with the assistance of Leadership of the House have led to the rapid passing of Bills. A number of these attracted considerable public interest. They included the following: Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, The Right To Information Act, Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), Payment Systems and Services Act, 2019 (Act 987), National Road Safety Authority
