Start speaking on national issues - Justice Dotse charges GBA

Supreme Court judge, Justice Jones Dotse has called on the Ghana Bar Association to be vocal on national issues.

He said the recent silence of the Association on issues bothering the country is not the best.

According to him, lawyers mostly speak from informed angles therefore silence from the legal fraternity doesn’t augur well for our democracy.

In an address delivered on behalf on the Chief Justice, His Lordship Anim Yebaoh, at the opening of the annual conference of Ghana Bar Association in Ho, Monday, Justice Dotse said many Ghanaians are wondering why the GBA is silent on national issues in recent times while the GBA provides a balanced and nationalistic opinion on issues devoid of partisan politics.

He said, “…it is useful because when the Bar speaks everybody knows that they speak from an enlightened position and not from the partisan position. It makes sense therefore, for me to urge the GBA to state their views on such topical matters.”

Justice Dotsey sited a motion tabled by President Akufo-Addo for the election of MMDCEs which was later withdrawn following a heated argument as an example of one of such topical matters the GBA’s opinion was needed and expected.

He said such informed decisions are very important part of the Bar.

Also speaking at the event, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said Ghanaians should be wary of individuals who attack the judiciary.

According to President Akufo-Addo, Just as the government continues to implement policies to advance the rule of law, and, thereby, reinforce the confidence of the people, and shore up our nation's reputation as a country governed by the rule of law, there are some who have made it their political agenda to disparage systematically the image of the Judiciary for selfish, parochial, partisan reasons.

He stated that These are the plaintiffs, who go to Court, indeed, to the highest court of the land, provide not a single shred of evidence to back their claims, and, yet, insist that their claims be upheld, despite the elementary violation of the ancient, common-law rules for the discharge of the burden of proof that such a result would entail.

The President continued: It is no wonder that their claims were unanimously dismissed 7-0 by the apex court. The result of this case is in stark contrast to the result of a similar one in 2013 when the unsuccessful plaintiffs managed to persuade four (4) out of a nine (9) member court to find for them, and, yet, the earlier plaintiffs chose not to wage a political war against the court.

He told Members of the Bar that Ghana is governed in accordance with the rule of law, and not based on political considerations.

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