GBA Acts as Branch of Npp- Ayine Cries

Attorney-General Questions GBA’s Consistency, President Defends

 September 15, 2025

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic A. Ayine, has questioned the consistency of the Ghana Bar Association’s (GBA) advocacy role, accusing it of being selective in addressing constitutional matters.

Speaking at the GBA’s 2025 annual conference in Wa, Dr Ayine said while the Bar has historically supported the Supreme Court in interpreting the Constitution, its advocacy outside the courtroom has “lacked consistency.”

He cited the Bar’s silence during the removal processes of former CHRAJ Commissioner Lorretta Lamptey and former Electoral Commission Chairperson Charlotte Osei, contrasting it with the association’s strong opposition to the removal proceedings against former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo.

“The honest question we have to ask ourselves is what changed,” Dr Ayine said. “Coincidentally, the voice of the Bar amplified the voice of the opposition.”

He urged the GBA to avoid partisanship, stressing that its duty is to defend the rule of law, judicial independence, and the rights of citizens. “The GBA is not merely a professional body. It is the moral compass of the legal fraternity,” he added.

GBA President Efua Ghartey, however, rejected the criticisms, defending the association’s intervention in the Chief Justice’s case. She argued that the lack of clear regulations under Article 146 made the removal process arbitrary and unfair.

“It is an unfortunate precedent that lacks fairness, a situation that calls for redress if we are indeed custodians of justice,” she said, insisting that the Bar has always defended judicial independence.

Supreme Court Justice Hafisata Amaleboba, representing the Acting Chief Justice, also addressed the conference, calling for bold political action to curb illegal mining. She warned that galamsey has destroyed forests, polluted water bodies, and displaced communities, and urged leaders to confront those benefiting from the activity.

The conference was held under the theme: “Sustaining the 4th Republican Constitutional Democracy: The Role of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession.”