The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has called for a stronger and more independent Ghana Bar Association (GBA), urging the legal profession to maintain a clear distance from partisan politics and the corridors of political power.
Dr Ayine made the call in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem-Sai, at the Ghana Bar Association’s Annual General Conference held at Aqua Safari in Ada on Monday September 14.
The Attorney General said the authority of the Bar depended largely on its independence from the state, political parties and the Office of the Attorney General.
According to him, the Ghana Bar Association must remain visible and actively participate in public discourse, but should avoid becoming influenced by political convenience or the benefits associated with proximity to political power.
He said the Bar’s independence should not, however, be viewed in isolation, arguing that the state also had a responsibility to create the necessary institutional conditions for the association to govern and discipline itself and provide for its members without undue dependence on government.
“An attorney general who wishes for the bar that agrees with him all the time clearly misunderstands his own job and also the role of the bar as a civil society organization,” Dr Ayine said in his address.
He noted that the call for an independent Bar was aimed at strengthening the association rather than weakening it, stressing that the legal profession had an important responsibility to advocate for the public interest.
The Attorney General also raised concerns about the welfare of lawyers, particularly young practitioners and lawyers who had spent several decades in the profession but could face difficulties due to illness, old age or declining practice.
He said the Ghana Bar Association currently lacked a welfare structure capable of adequately supporting its members during difficult periods.
As part of efforts to address the challenge, Dr Ayine proposed the establishment of a National Bar Welfare Fund, which he said should receive government support to provide social protection for lawyers.
He explained that the proposal was rooted in the original purpose of the association, which was to enable lawyers to become stronger and better protected by standing together as a professional body.
“Even at this advanced stage, the Ghana Bar Association is still without a welfare architecture worthy of a professional association and worthy of a profession for its members,” he said.
Dr Ayine further disclosed that his address would also focus on reforms to the disciplinary procedures governing the legal profession.
The conference, held on the banks of the Volta River at Ada, is centred on the theme of the 150-year history of the legal profession in Ghana and seeks to examine how the profession can be transformed to meet the demands of the future.
The Attorney General described the annual conference as an important occasion for the profession to reflect on its development, the work of the judiciary and the broader affairs of the country.
He also conveyed President John Dramani Mahama’s support for the Ghana Bar Association and its leadership.
Justice Srem-Sai explained that Dr Ayine was unable to attend the conference due to widespread flight cancellations affecting travel between Europe and Africa. He said the Attorney General sent his speech the previous night and personally guided him on its delivery.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Mavis Fantevi
