Sosu laments political infiltration in GBA leadership
GBA tasks MP to follow the due process in having 'political judges' removed
Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has slammed the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) together with its leadership over their disagreement with the ‘political judges’ comment he made.
The MP in a statement criticised GBA over their silence on matters that militate against the legal profession.
He said the actions of the group have made them lose their relevance and focus over time.
Sosu stressed that, the GBA had rather become a monumental failure to the country’s democracy owing to the latter’s failure to deliver on its constitutional mandate.
“It is a wonder to know that the Ghana Bar Association still exists in this country following your loud silence on critical matters of national concern which relate to the Bar, Legal Education, Mistreatment of Lawyers, lack of welfare for Lawyers, Human Rights abuses, Press freedom and justice delivery among others in Ghana.
I reject the allegation of being unprofessional and irresponsible and would reiterate that the GBA is rather a monumental failure to our democracy and I take strong exceptions to the statement of the leadership of the GBA,” part of the MP’s statement read.
Sosu maintained that he stands by his statement “any day, any time” adding that he was unbothered by the twist and turns being ascribed to his comment.
He emphasized that such attempts will not “extricate judicial officers and judges who would allow themselves to become agents of political partisan agenda”.
The legislator also lamented the level of political infiltration in the leadership of the GBA. He labelled them as being politically biased.
“Unfortunately, the leadership’s Release shows the extent to which they are politically affiliated and biased as Leaders of the Bar Association. Who in Ghana does not know that the GBA Leadership are so politically biased?. What are the core duties of the GBA?. Who in Ghana does not know that the GBA Leadership are so politically biased?. What are the core duties of the GBA?,” Sosu quizzed.
Background
During the NDC’s ‘Yentua’ demonstration on February 11, the Madina MP in a media engagement cautioned judges to steer away from politics.
He warned that judges who engage in politics will be ‘fished out’ when power changes hands.
“If you are a judge, your fidelity is to the constitution of Ghana and the laws of Ghana. If you allow yourself to be used as a political judge so that you can do the bidding of the ruling government be warned, be warned because we are watching closely at you and in the event that there’s a change of power, every political judge will be fished out, every political judge will be dealt with politically. “So please stick with the law let us do our politics,” Sosu told the media.
However, the comments did not sit well with GBA who said the MP’s comments were “ignorant and irresponsible”.
“The GBA finds the assertion by Francis-Xavier Sosu very unprofessional, unfortunate, irresponsible and distasteful and same smacks of deep-seated ignorance, as the tenure of judges per the Constitution, 1992, and other relevant laws is never in any way whatsoever tied to the tenure of the political regime under which judges are appointed,” part of the GBA statement read.
Read Below Full Statement from Francis-Xavier Sosu
View his Timepath below:
Madina MP, Francis-Xavier Sosu