Deputy AG fires back at GBA over Chief Justice’s ‘political’ comment

Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has accused the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) of applying inconsistent standards in its criticism of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie over comments he made about state institutions. Speaking on Joy FM on September 14, 2026, Dr Srem-Sai questioned why the GBA had criticised the current Chief Justice for remarks considered political while, in his view, failing to respond in the same manner to similar comments made by previous Chief Justices. “The point that we made at the conference is that when it comes to independence or when it comes to consistency, the leadership of the Ghana Bar Association leaves much to be desired,” he said. He argued that the Bar Association should adopt a uniform position on comments made by judicial officers, irrespective of the individual occupying the office or the political party in government. “If the Ghana Bar Association is of the view that Chief Justices should not make comments that are seen as political, then anytime a Chief Justice or any judge makes such a comment, then the Ghana Bar Association should condemn it. But to condemn some and not condemn others, that is where the issue is,” he stated. According to the Deputy Attorney-General, the GBA cannot choose when to speak out based on the political context surrounding particular remarks. He said the association should either consistently condemn such comments or refrain from commenting on them altogether. “So, our point is that if you decide to be quiet, then be prepared throughout. If you decide to talk, then talk throughout,” he said. Dr Srem-Sai further accused the Bar of allowing political considerations to determine when it criticises judicial officers. “And then when you choose to talk when a particular comment favours your favourite, or you speak out when the particular comment is against your favourite, or it favours your opponent, then you are not being consistent. That is all the point we are trying to make,” he said. GBA president takes on Chief Justice over comments on Akufo-Addo administration When asked if he believed the GBA was politically aligned with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Srem-Sai did not directly confirm the allegation but acknowledged that such a perception exists. “We hope they are not. It is our prayer that they are truly not,” he said. He maintained that the association’s perceived selective approach to criticism had fuelled doubts about its political neutrality, arguing that its interventions appeared to correspond with the interests of one side of the political divide. “The point we are making is that the perception or the reality seems to persist. They pick and choose as and when they want to criticise. All their picking and choosing seem to align to a particular political party’s interests. That’s the issue,” he said. The Deputy Attorney-General also cited comments from the parliamentary Minority in support of the GBA as further evidence of what he described as an alleged connection between the association and the NPP. “The very fact that they are even comparing the Chief Justice with the Ghana Bar Association and accusing the Chief Justice of being an NDC Chief Justice is an admission that they are aligned somehow with the Ghana Bar Association. And that settles the matter,” he stated. He said the controversy had once again brought attention to longstanding concerns over the GBA’s perceived political neutrality, claiming that some members of the public viewed the association as serving partisan interests rather than the broader public interest. He said it was “no surprise that the general public consistently views the Ghana Bar Association as not aligned to the general good of the country or aligned to the public good as a whole, but rather aligned to a particular section of the political divide.” The comments follow criticism from GBA President Efua Ghartey over remarks attributed to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on September 2, 2026. During the visits, the Chief Justice compared the performance of the two institutions under the current administration with their performance under the previous government. His comments subsequently attracted criticism from sections of the public and the political opposition. Efua Ghartey later described the Judicial Service’s defence of the Chief Justice as “at best lacklustre” and maintained that judicial officers must operate within the constitutional boundaries of their offices. The NDC government has defended the Chief Justice, while the NPP has demanded his resignation. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference, meanwhile, said calls for his resignation were disproportionate, although it acknowledged that his remarks could be interpreted as politically charged. GBA president 'attacks' Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie at 2026 Bar Conference Over SOE Comments AK/AMSource: www.ghanaweb.com
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