We are not a wing of NPP, statement on Afenyo-Markin attack on circuit court judge being prepared — GBA

The reaction follows criticism from the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who accused the Association of remaining silent after Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin allegedly verbally attacked a judge presiding over the case involving the NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC.

Speaking in an interview on Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, May 18, GBA spokesperson Saviour Kudze said the Association had already begun preparations to issue a statement on the matter and urged the public not to rush to conclusions.

“My response is that it is not surprising, but I am rather disappointed because this thing came to our attention last night, and it hasn’t even been 24 hours, and people have come to the conclusion that we are not going to issue a statement,” he said.

According to Mr Kudze, the delay in issuing the statement was due to ongoing consultations among officials expected to approve and sign the release.

“A statement was going to be issued except that those who will sign the statement were in a meeting, but because of the urgency of the matter and because we care about what we want to say about the conduct of the Minority Leader, who is a lawyer, that is why I am even granting you this interview. We didn’t want to wait until the statement gets finalised,” he explained.

Mr Kudze also rejected assertions that the Ghana Bar Association functions as a  political wing of the NPP.

“I am surprised people will always continue to say that we are a wing of the NPP. I don’t see it that way. There is nothing wrong with lawyers becoming politicians,” he stated.

He stressed that political affiliation is never considered during the registration of members into the Association.

“When we are registering our members, nobody asks for anybody’s political association before the registration is done,” he said.

While acknowledging that individuals are entitled to their opinions, Mr Kudze maintained that the perception of political bias against the Association was inaccurate.

“Of course, that is people’s thinking, and that is their perception. They are entitled to it. I am saying that it is not true that we are a wing of NPP or that we are biased in favour of the NPP,” he said.

He further urged the public to focus attention on pressing national challenges such as sanitation, illegal mining and water shortages instead of politicising issues involving the Association.

“Let us go past this and think about the problems that are worrying us as a society — the problems of sanitation, the problems of galamsey, the problems of lack of water and all that,” he added.

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