Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has urged the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to defend constitutionalism and strengthen ethical discipline within the legal profession.

Addressing the GBA’s Annual Conference in Wa on Monday, September 15, Dr. Ayine said lawyers must remain vigilant in safeguarding democracy, even when threats to constitutional order come from within the profession itself.

“We must reclaim our role as guardians of democracy. The voices of lawyers must not fall silent when constitutionalism is under threat, whether from the executive, the legislature, political parties, or even from within us,” he told the gathering of legal practitioners.

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The Attorney-General highlighted the need to restore public faith in the justice system by enforcing integrity among lawyers.

“A few errant lawyers can tarnish the entire Bar. The Ghana Bar Association must be vigilant in holding us to the highest standards of integrity,” he said.

On access to justice, Dr. Ayine underscored that legal aid should not be a “token gesture” but a genuine lifeline for the poor. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to resourcing the Legal Aid Commission while challenging the Bar to embrace pro bono services as part of its civic duty.

He also called for modernisation of the justice system through e-filing, case management reforms, and digital court records, describing them as necessities rather than luxuries for a 21st-century judiciary.