The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to work closely with the association in defending the rule of law and strengthening Ghana’s democratic institutions.
Delivering her address at the GBA’s Annual General Conference in Wa on Monday, September 15, Madam Ghartey expressed faith in the President’s commitment to constitutional governance.
“We are confident that under his leadership, he will join hands with us in jealously guarding the rule of law, respecting human rights, and upholding both the letter and the spirit of our Constitution,” she said.
She further stressed the need for a strong and united Bar, capable of speaking truth to power while promoting justice, fairness, and equality.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, used the same platform to caution the GBA against selective advocacy, which he warned could undermine its credibility and appear politically biased.
He urged the association to remain steadfast in upholding constitutionalism rather than leaning towards partisan interests.
Dr Ayine cited past examples where the Bar had remained silent during petitions seeking the removal of high-profile constitutional officeholders, including Lauretta Lamptey of CHRAJ in 2015, as well as Charlotte Osei and her deputies at the Electoral Commission in 2017.”
“Yet, he noted, the association had been vocal during the recent removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
“The honest question we must ask ourselves is what changed?” he queried. “All three petitions involved constitutional bodies that are vital to our democracy, whose independence is protected by the Constitution. The three officeholders were distinguished women from our noble profession. Consistency, not partisanship, must be our guide.”