Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has cautioned professional and legal associations in Ghana to resist the temptation of inviting external actors into the country’s constitutional and judicial affairs.
Delivering the keynote address at the Ghana Bar Association’s (GBA) Annual General Conference in Wa on Monday, September 15, 2025, Dr. Ayine underscored that while international cooperation is important for professional growth, it must not be allowed to cross into political or constitutional decision-making.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with building networks with like-minded legal bodies abroad. Such partnerships are healthy for sharing knowledge and improving professional standards,” he told the gathering.
“But that is where it must stop. Any attempt to interfere in our constitutional politics risks undermining the principle that sovereignty resides in the people of Ghana, in whose name and for whose benefit the powers of government are exercised.”
His comments followed recent interventions by the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, which jointly appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to rescind his decision to suspend Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
In their August 14 statement, the two organisations praised Ghana’s tradition of rule of law and urged that the Chief Justice be reinstated without delay.
Dr. Ayine made it clear that while the government respects Ghana’s international partners, constitutional processes remain the sole preserve of citizens and domestic institutions.
The Attorney General also used the platform to challenge the GBA itself, accusing it of inconsistency in its public positions on issues affecting key constitutional bodies.
He referenced past instances, including the removal of the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Lauretta Lamptey, in 2015; the dismissal of Electoral Commission Chairperson Charlotte Osei and her deputies in 2017; and the legal disputes between the Electoral Commission and opposition parties in the run-up to the 2016 elections.
According to him, all these matters went through Article 146 of the Constitution, which provides for the removal of high office holders, yet the GBA refrained from taking a public stance.
“In each of those cases, due process was followed to the letter. But the Bar chose silence. Only when a petition was filed concerning the removal of the former Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, did the Association suddenly find its voice. We must ask ourselves: what changed?” Dr. Ayine questioned.
He argued that such selective interventions risk creating the impression that the Association has aligned itself with partisan interests.
“The Bar must not consciously or unconsciously amplify the voice of the opposition. Lawyers in public life must rise above political expediency. Our foremost duty is to the Constitution and to the people,” he said.
Dr. Ayine stressed that members of the legal profession should stand as guardians of reason, moderation, and constitutionalism, ensuring that their interventions defend the independence of the judiciary and the rights of citizens rather than serve the interests of political actors.
