Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has called on Ghana’s legal and professional bodies to resist attempts to involve external actors in the country’s judicial and constitutional matters.
Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association’s Annual Conference in Wa on Monday, September 15, Dr Ayine acknowledged the value of international collaboration in promoting professional standards but stressed that such partnerships should not extend into Ghana’s constitutional politics.
“We must resist the temptation of inviting foreign interference in our internal constitutional processes. There is nothing wrong with building relationships with like-minded foreign associations, as these are important for exchanging ideas and improving standards. But that is where it should stop,” he said.
He added: “Allowing interference in constitutional politics undermines the principle that sovereignty rests with the people of Ghana, in whose name and interest government authority is exercised.”
Dr Ayine’s remarks follow a joint appeal by the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, which called on President John Dramani Mahama to reverse the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo before her removal. In a statement dated August 14, the organisations praised Ghana’s tradition of upholding the rule of law and urged the government to ensure the Chief Justice’s immediate reinstatement—a position that has since sparked debate within Ghana’s legal community.
