Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has cautioned the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) against meddling in partisan politics.
He urged the association to remain independent and continue serving as the conscience of Ghanaian society.
In an address read on his behalf by Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, at the Ghana Bar Association Conference in Ada on September 14, Dr Ayine said his position was informed by his experience with Bar associations in other Commonwealth countries.
“These observations of mine are not born out of a casual place of luxury, they are born out of my deep experience in the affairs of bars in other countries and within the Commonwealth, whereby associations are fiercely professional and keep a decent distance from the corridors of political power,” he said.
He said the independence of the Bar must also be considered alongside the responsibilities of the State.
“These experiences taught me one other thing, it is that the demand for independence must not be isolated from proper context. The demand for the Bar’s independence must come with a demand on the State itself for responsibility,” Dr Ayine said.
According to him, the State must provide the conditions for the legal profession to manage its own affairs without having to depend on government.
“The State owes the Bar the institutional condition with which the Bar can govern itself, discipline itself and provide for its own members without leaning on the State for permission,” he said.
Dr Ayine also pointed to the important role traditionally associated with the GBA, noting that it is often described as “the guardian of the Constitution, the friends of the court, the conscience of the Republic”.
He said these descriptions reflected the responsibilities expected of the Bar and the need for it to maintain its professional independence.