Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dr Dominic A. Ayine has urged the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to maintain its professional and political independence to protect the credibility of Ghana’s legal profession.
Dr Ayine encouraged the Association to remain consistent in its professional responsibilities and maintain a clear distance from political influence and the corridors of political power.
He made the call in a speech delivered on his behalf by his Deputy, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, at the opening of the Ghana Bar Association annual conference in Ada in the Greater Accra Region.
The conference is being held under the theme, “150 Years of Ghana’s Legal Evolution: Transforming the Profession and Driving Its Future with Industry.”
Attorney General Calls for an Independent Ghana Bar Association
Dr Ayine said his position was informed by the experiences of countries including the United Kingdom and the United States, where professional bar associations have traditionally maintained independence from political authorities.
He stressed that the call for the GBA to maintain its independence was not aimed at weakening the Association but rather at protecting its professional integrity, credibility and public confidence.
According to the Attorney General, maintaining an appropriate distance from political power is important to ensuring that the legal profession can continue to perform its responsibilities without undue influence.
Challenges Facing Young Lawyers in Ghana
Dr Ayine also highlighted several challenges confronting young lawyers in Ghana, including inadequate institutional support, limited access to professional indemnity insurance and insufficient opportunities for continuing professional development.
He expressed concern that some young lawyers were resorting to shortcuts and compromising professional rules in an attempt to achieve quick financial gains.
Such practices, he noted, could have negative consequences for law firms, chambers and clients while undermining professional standards within the legal sector.
Attorney General Raises Concerns Over Lawyer Discipline
The Attorney General further raised concerns about delays in the handling of complaints against lawyers through the General Legal Council’s disciplinary system.
He said prolonged disciplinary processes can frustrate both complainants and lawyers who are the subjects of complaints, highlighting the need for a more efficient and transparent system for resolving professional misconduct cases.
Legal Practitioners Standards Board Bill
Dr Ayine disclosed that he intends to submit the Legal Practitioners Standards Board Bill to Cabinet before it is subsequently presented to Parliament.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a Legal Practitioners Standards Board responsible for setting and maintaining professional standards, ethical conduct and continuing competence among legal practitioners in Ghana.
The Bill would also establish an Independent Disciplinary Committee separate from the functions of licensing and professional standard-setting.
The proposed committee would include both professional and lay representatives, with security of tenure and time-bound procedures for handling complaints against lawyers.
Bill to Strengthen Legal Professional Standards
According to Dr Ayine, the proposed legislation would also strengthen due process for lawyers facing disciplinary complaints.
Individuals subject to complaints would have the right to know the nature of the allegations against them and receive appropriate procedural protections.
The Attorney General stressed that the proposed reforms are not intended to place the discipline of lawyers under political control.
He said the initiative is instead designed to strengthen the independence, fairness and credibility of the legal disciplinary system in Ghana.
Dr Ayine added that his office would soon engage relevant stakeholders to obtain their views on the draft legislation before it undergoes further scrutiny and is eventually submitted to Parliament for consideration.
The proposed reforms form part of broader efforts to strengthen legal regulation, professional standards and accountability within Ghana’s justice system.
Source: newsthemegh.com