GBA ‘wades’ into politics again

… but president says it’s a no no!

President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Kwame Tetteh says it is not true that the Association has changed its earlier decision not to comment on national issues again.

Months ago the GBA defended criticisms from opposition NDC’s John Atta Mills about the Association’s silence on topical and pertinent national issues, explaining that its national council has resolved not to get involved in national politics again.

But the GBA President was reported last week to have commented former President Jerry Rawlings’ decision to boycott the 50 Independence Parade. He is said to have condemned the decision and remarked that even if he will not be there, they will go and celebrate.

The reports said Mr Tetteh made the comments when he chaired a public lecture at the British Council in Accra as part of activities marking the country’s Golden Jubilee.

Obviously unhappy about the GBA President’s comment which is an obvious contradiction to the Association’s earlier announcement that it is staying away from politics, some members of the opposition NDC & legal practitioners have questioned the sincerity of the GBA and its leadership.

Reached for his comment, Kwame Tetteh told the dailyEXPRESS that he had never said what has been attributed to him, maintaining that it is a false publication even though he is yet to contest or protest against the publication.

He insisted that his comments as a chairman of the public lecture: Reflections on the Rule of Law was restricted to the building of democratic institutions in the country as well as the operation of the rule of law in Ghana.

According to him, the American Bar Association never comments on political issues and the GBA has resolved not to do that either.

Asked whether the association has an opinion on the former president’s boycott of the celebrations, Mr. Tetteh said the GBA has no position on the matter and pleaded with the media to desist from dragging the association into politics.

Mr. Tetteh also told this paper that the GBA has not abandoned its decision to stay away from politics.