Image: Shahadusadik / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
GBA President Efua Ghartey said the Chief Justice's comparison of a public institution's output with the previous government's left much to be desired.
The Ghana Bar Association has publicly criticised Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie for comments he made during a visit to the Minerals Income Investment Fund on 2 September 2026, in which he praised public institutions under the current administration and wondered what Ghana had been doing over the previous eight years.
The Bar’s statement
Speaking at the opening of the GBA conference in Ada on 14 September, GBA President Efua Ghartey said the commendation of a public institution and the comparison with a previous government’s output, “by no mean a person than the Chief Justice”, left much to be desired. She described the Judicial Secretary’s defence of the remarks as “at best, lacklustre”, while stating that the Bar’s position should not be read as an attack on judicial independence.
Government’s response
The Deputy Attorney-General accused the GBA leadership of selective criticism, and members of the governing party questioned the association’s political neutrality. The Attorney-General urged the Bar to remain the conscience of society and to distance itself from partisan politics. GBA officials responded that the association criticises all governments.
Why it matters
Commercial parties litigating against the state or state-owned enterprises need confidence that the head of the judiciary is seen to be neutral on the performance of those entities. The Chief Justice also chairs the Judicial Council and the new board of the Council for Legal Education and Training, so perceptions of partisanship have institutional reach. The Bar’s intervention places the matter on the record without a formal complaint.
The exchange is one of several points of friction between the GBA and government in September 2026, alongside the proposed lawyers’ disciplinary board, the constitutional amendment process and the conduct of law enforcement agencies towards lawyers. Firms advising investors in state-linked sectors such as mining and energy should expect these debates to feature in risk assessments of Ghanaian dispute resolution.
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