Minister for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu has called for the immediate resignation of the entire leadership of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA).
Speaking in an interview on UTV’s MpuNeMpu program, Kwakye Ofosu criticized the GBA for urging President John Dramani Mahama to take actions he says contradict the constitution.
Kwakye Ofosu claimed the GBA has effectively become an extension of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), noting that during the previous eight years of the NPP government under President Akufo-Addo, the GBA remained silent.
He remarked “The GBA is gradually becoming a branch of the NPP. During eight years of Akufo-Addo’s administration, they kept quiet. Their leadership is made up entirely of NPP members.”
He questioned the legitimacy of the GBA’s recent resolution, which was passed by just 47 members out of over 5,000 lawyers in the association.
“What they did recently, an association of over 5,000 people how come 47 people passed a resolution?…The host responded ‘they say their laws allow that,’ Felix stated, ‘So, is this a good thing?’
Using a vivid analogy, the minister likened the GBA leadership’s actions to a TV show host making all decisions without consulting producers, directors, or crew.
“You, as the host of this show, can you sit here and decide everything without consulting your producers, program director, cameramen, and the rest. You did not discuss anything, and you come to do the show. Is that how it works?’ We cannot accept their explanation because they are too small and insignificant in number.”
Kwakye Ofosu further slammed the GBA for failing to present any evidence that the president has breached the constitution. Instead, he accused them of promoting lawlessness by demanding unconstitutional actions.
He said “The GBA has not been able to show a single law that the president has breached; they are actually calling for lawlessness”
“In fact, the entire GBA leadership must resign today for calling on the president to do something that is against the constitution”, he declared.
“How can you say I should do something constitutional, knowing the president has done something constitutional, and yet you say he shouldn’t do that?”.
The minister didn’t mince words about the GBA’s political allegiances.
“They sing from both sides of their mouths. They support the NPP blindly. If the NPP tells them to jump, they ask ‘how high?’” he quipped, painting the association as a partisan entity rather than an independent legal body.
When asked if his remarks might offend the GBA, Kwakye Ofosu responded sharply, “They are subject to criticism. No lawyer is an angel.”
He also pointed out that, aside from the GBA president’s personal ties to the NPP noting she is married to Joe Ghartey, a prominent NPP member, the association’s actions demonstrate that they are NPP members.
Felix stated “They are not independent they are NPP members, I am saying this today. In fact, forget about the fact that their president is the wife of Mr. Joe Ghartey, who is an NPP member-we all know that. Forget about that; their actions clearly demonstrate that they are NPP people”.
He added “At every bar conference during Akufo-Addo’s eight-year administration, they made him the guest of honor, but they never did the same for President Mahama. It is clear they are NPP members, and I am not afraid to say this.”
He alleged that former Deputy Attorney General Asonaba Dapaah played a key role in instigating the controversial resolution.
“It is Asonaba Dapaah, former Deputy Attorney General, who is behind all these things. She instigated this resolution”.
Reflecting on the GBA’s history, the minister recalled how under President Kufuor’s administration, the association declared it would refrain from commenting on governance issues, effectively aligning itself with the ruling party.
He lamented the loss of the GBA’s former prestige and independence, asserting that since 2006 the association has operated as a partisan institution.
He recounted“Since 2006, they announced that because the NPP government was in power, they would no longer comment on Ghana’s governance issues. That is how their disgrace started.
“Under President Kufuor, they said that whatever the NPP government would do be right and backed by law, so they would no longer speak on governance issues. From that time, I wrote off the GBA as a partisan institution.”
Source : www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
