Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has warned professional lawyers’ associations against allowing partisan politics to influence their conduct, saying they risk losing public credibility if they become extensions of political contests.
Speaking at the maiden Annual Bar Conference of the Ghana Law Society on September 30, Dr Debrah said the creation of another professional body should provide greater opportunities for scholarship, mentorship and policy engagement.
He said it should not become a new arena for political rivalry.
“It loses when professional associations become extensions of partisan contests,” Dr Debrah said.
He urged the Ghana Law Society to establish its credibility through consistency, service and fairness, stressing that its standing would be determined by how it conducted itself.
“This society will therefore be judged by its conduct. It must welcome intellectual disagreement, resist political capture, and apply the same standards of fairness regardless of who holds power,” he said.
Dr Debrah also recognised the historical contribution of the Ghana Bar Association. He said the Ghana Law Society did not need to undermine the older organisation in order to demonstrate its own relevance.
His comments came with a warning that disputes between professional institutions were unlikely to be a priority for the wider public.
He said ordinary citizens were less concerned about quarrels between the organisations than about whether the legal profession was helping the justice system to function effectively.
