Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has called on Ghana’s legal and professional bodies to resist external interference in the country’s judicial and constitutional matters.
Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association’s Annual Conference in Wa on Monday, September 15, Dr. Ayine stressed the importance of international collaboration in raising professional standards but warned against extending such partnerships into constitutional politics.
“We must resist the temptation of inviting foreign interference in our internal constitutional processes. There is nothing wrong with building relationships with like-minded foreign associations, as these are important for exchanging ideas and improving standards. But that is where it should stop,” he said.
He cautioned that allowing external influence in judicial and constitutional affairs undermines Ghana’s sovereignty. “Government authority is exercised in the name and interest of the people of Ghana. That principle must not be compromised,” he added.
His remarks follow a joint appeal by the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, urging President John Dramani Mahama to reverse the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo ahead of her removal from office.
The two organisations, in a statement dated August 14, praised Ghana’s record in upholding the rule of law and called for the Chief Justice’s immediate reinstatement—a stance that has sparked debate within Ghana’s legal community.
