Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr Justice Srem Sai has questioned the independence and consistency of the leadership of the Ghana Bar Association following its criticism of comments made by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie.

Speaking on Joy FM's Top Story on Monday, September 14, Dr Srem Sai argued that institutional independence should be demonstrated through actions and conduct rather than simply presumed.

He said the same standard should apply to consistency, maintaining that an organisation claiming to act consistently must demonstrate that principle in how it responds to similar situations.

According to the Deputy Attorney General, the conduct of the GBA leadership in those areas leaves much to be desired.

GBA CRITICISED CHIEF JUSTICE REMARKS

The controversy follows comments made by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie during a September 2 visit to the Minerals Income Investment Fund.

During the visit, the Chief Justice praised developments he had observed at MIIF and other public institutions under the current administration.

He reportedly said some of the developments had left him wondering what Ghana had been doing during the previous eight years.

GBA President Efua Ghartey subsequently criticised the remarks during the association's 2026 and 2027 conference in Ada, describing the Chief Justice's comments as inappropriate.

Dr Srem Sai said the central issue was not simply whether the Chief Justice's remarks could be considered political.

Instead, he argued that attention should be placed on whether the GBA has applied the same standard when responding to similar public comments from other judicial officers.

SREM SAI QUESTIONS CONSISTENCY

The Deputy Attorney General argued that if the association believes Chief Justices and other judges should avoid comments that could be perceived as political, that principle should be applied consistently.

He said concerns arise when some comments are condemned while similar remarks from others receive a different response.

According to Dr Srem Sai, the controversy should therefore be examined within the broader question of whether the association applies its principles without selectivity.

He maintained that independence cannot simply be claimed by an organisation but must be demonstrated through its decisions and conduct.

The comments add another dimension to the debate surrounding the relationship between Ghana's judiciary, legal profession and political institutions.

The GBA has traditionally played a prominent role in public discussions concerning the judiciary, constitutional governance and the rule of law.

The latest disagreement is likely to intensify scrutiny of how the association responds to politically sensitive comments involving senior members of the judiciary.