Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has called on the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to resist any perception of political partisanship, warning that the credibility of the legal profession depends on its fidelity to the constitution rather than allegiance to any government or party.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by former GBA President Anthony Forson Jnr at the association’s Annual General Conference in Ada on September 14, the Chief Justice said the bar’s strength lies in its commitment to the law and justice for all, not in political alignment .
“The GBA must jealously guard its long-standing nature as the conscience of the legal profession and not allow itself to be perceived as an appendage of any government in power or any political party,” he said. “Your strength lies in fidelity to the law, constitutionalism, and justice for all” .
A Warning Against Partisanship
The Chief Justice cautioned that public statements, the timing of interventions, or “selective silence” could create an impression of partisanship that erodes public trust and weakens the association’s moral authority to hold power to account .
“The GBA must thus speak with principled consistency and ensure its leadership and communities reflect the collective ethos of the bar, not the political preferences of the day,” he said .
He reminded the gathering that institutional integrity outlasts individual officeholders: “Governments change, parties change, judges retire, lawyers grow old, but the constitution must endure and the bar must remain one of its vigilant guardians” .
The Lawyer’s Calling
Beyond institutional concerns, the Chief Justice framed the legal profession as a shield for the vulnerable against arbitrary power. He urged lawyers not to become “so comfortable that we forget those who are not” .
“When the vulnerable stand before the powerful, the lawyer must stand with the vulnerable. When the poor cannot afford the language of power, the lawyer must lend them the language of the law. When institutions become too powerful to hear the individual, the lawyer must remain, remind them that power in a constitutional democracy is never without limits,” he said. “This is not activism. That is the calling” .
Background: A Week of Tension
The Chief Justice’s address came amid a public dispute over remarks he made during visits to state institutions on September 2, where he praised the performance of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) under the current administration, questioning what Ghana had been doing during the previous eight years .
GBA President Efua Ghartey responded at the same conference, saying the comments “left much to be desired” and that the Judicial Secretary’s defence of the Chief Justice was “at best lacklustre” . She argued that such remarks raised concerns about the perception of judicial impartiality .
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) demanded the Chief Justice’s resignation, accusing him of descending “from the sacred heights of the Bench into the trenches of partisan politics” . Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai accused the GBA of applying inconsistent standards, claiming it had failed to criticise similar comments by previous Chief Justices .
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference weighed in on September 6, acknowledging that the Chief Justice’s remarks could be interpreted as politically charged but stating that calls for his resignation were “disproportionate” .
A Legacy Under Scrutiny
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, who was appointed Chief Justice in 2025 following the removal of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, is due to retire in December 2026 upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 . His tenure has been marked by significant judicial reform initiatives, including the planned rollout of electronic court processes from October 2026 .
His address on Monday sought to define the GBA’s role at a moment when its political neutrality has been questioned from multiple quarters. The Chief Justice’s message was unambiguous: the bar’s authority derives not from proximity to power but from principled distance.
“The GBA must continue to serve as a voice of reason when public passions are high and a voice of conscience when convenience becomes tempting,” he said .
