The venerable Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is facing an unprecedented wave of public criticism, spearheaded by lawyer and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini.

The former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources accused the institution of abandoning its role as a constitutional watchdog and morphing into a politically compromised entity.

Alhaji Fuseini's critique, delivered during an interview on TV3 on Thursday, October 16, asserts that the GBA’s selective silence on high-profile constitutional matters, particularly under certain administrations, has severely eroded its credibility and the public’s confidence in the legal profession.

Pattern of Political Avoidance and Bias Cited

Alhaji Fuseini, a prominent legal figure who served as MP for two terms and previously held ministerial roles, provided specific historical context to back his claims of the GBA’s political swing.

He recounted a clear shift in the association’s mandate dating back over two decades, suggesting the GBA has deliberately avoided holding sitting governments accountable.

“There are several things they did, or failed to do, that convince me the association has become political. Around 2001 or 2002, I read a statement issued by the Ghana Bar Association. They said they would not comment on political cases, essentially meaning they wouldn’t hold the government accountable,” Fuseini said.

The former MP argued that this perceived bias is evident when contrasting the GBA's vocal activism during the era of the NDC administration led by the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, versus its notable silence during the tenures of subsequent presidents, particularly from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Silence on Constitutional Breaches Alarming

Fuseini pointed to two critical constitutional cases under the previous Nana Akufo-Addo administration where the GBA failed to issue strong condemnation, contrasting sharply with its robust posture during Rawlings’ tenure.

The first case cited involved the removal of the former Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, who was controversially asked to proceed on leave and eventually removed from office.

“Akufo-Addo is the only president the Supreme Court has ruled acted unconstitutionally in the matter of Domelovo’s suspension or dismissal. Yet, the Bar Association issued no strong statement.”

The second significant constitutional matter where the GBA was notably silent, according to Alhaji Fuseini, was the case involving the removal of the former Electoral Commission Chairperson, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, and her two deputies in 2018.

This alleged pattern of "selective silence" has led Alhaji Fuseini to question the value of his own membership within the association, a signal of deepening fissures within the Ghanaian legal fraternity.

“If the Ghana Bar Association isn’t living up to my expectations, and I no longer see the value in being a member, then I have every right to shift my allegiance to another group with similar objectives. That’s a legitimate choice,” he concluded, suggesting a potential withdrawal of his membership to seek affiliation with an alternative legal body.

The accusations place significant pressure on the GBA leadership to publicly address its historical track record and define its commitment to non-partisan constitutional advocacy.