Former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Mr. Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has defended the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), insisting that the body has always operated within the confines of the Constitution and not on partisan lines.
Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on Monday, September 15, Mr. Ansa-Asare described as “unfortunate” remarks made by the Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, who earlier accused the GBA of aligning with partisan political interests.
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At the GBA’s annual conference in Wa earlier in the day, Dr. Ayine had argued that the association had engaged in “inconsistent advocacy” and “selective engagement” on constitutional issues. He cited the Bar’s subdued reaction to the removal of former Electoral Commission Chair, Charlotte Osei, compared to its more vocal opposition to the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, as examples of the Bar undermining its credibility.
But Mr. Ansa-Asare countered that while individual lawyers who are members of the GBA may have filed petitions or taken positions in such cases, that did not mean the association itself had adopted a partisan stance.
“The Bar is the Bar and we remain the Bar. It cannot be accused of being an appendage of the NDC, NPP or any other party,” he said. “Whatever positions it takes are in good faith and within constitutional limits.”
He admitted that some of the GBA’s statements might have appeared inconsistent but stressed this did not amount to political bias. He urged the Attorney-General to be “measured” in his public criticisms, warning that such comments could fuel negative perceptions of the institution.
Mr. Ansa-Asare further recalled his earlier disagreement with the Bar’s statement during the removal process of Justice Torkornoo, noting that it did not reflect the wider membership’s views. However, he maintained that internal disagreements should not be mistaken for partisan leanings.
“The Attorney-General must know what goes into the Bar’s pronouncements. I can assure you that whatever the Bar does is in good faith,” he added.