The Regional Director for Conflict Resolution for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Gideon Tettey Tetteh, has described the Ghana Bar Association’s stance on suspending Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo as politically motivated.

Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning about the GBA's threats to seek redress in court if Mahama doesn’t revoke the CJ's suspension, he said the institution has refused to concentrate on the welfare of its members and is gradually becoming politically inclined.  

“They are gradually becoming a wing of the NPP. The Ghana Bar Association is not focusing on the well-being of lawyers, but is gradually becoming NPP. Of the many lawyers that are members of the association, only 43 decided to vote and draft something like a so-called resolution in the name of the association,” he said.

He also stated that most lawyers on the board are not in support of the stance and exited the meeting immediately after the idea was raised.

“Most lawyers walked out the very moment this agenda was put on the table. They walked out because GBA is not a political wing where they will be interfering and engaging in politics,” he added.

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He recalled the association’s past silence on national issues, especially under the NDC government, indicating that “Over the years, before the NDC came to power, GBA was very silent on a lot of issues, corruption issues. It got to a time when even lawyers were reminding that GBA to say something.”

He continued to question the NPP’s strong resistance to the removal of the Chief Justice, pointing out an apparent inconsistency in their argument.

“But I wish that it were the same for Madam Charlotte Osei. This was not the posture of this same Ghana Bar Association.”

Lawyer Tetteh also argued that the GBA’s current position further justifies the need for the Chief Justice to step down.

“The posture of the Ghana Bar Association is even more reason why the chief justice will have to be removed so that we shall see what you can do,” he said.