Madina MP, Francis-Xavier Sosu has responded to the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) statement about his comment regarding the judiciary.
A statement from the Madina MP described the GBA’s reservation as among other things, misplaced in its scheme of objectives adding that the association has become “rather a monumental failure to our democracy.”
“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,” he said.
In an earlier statement, the GBA referred to the MP’s remarks at last Friday’s ‘Yentua’ Demonstration as ‘ignorant’ and ‘irresponsible’, with the possibility of courting disaffection for the judges and exposing them to danger.
At the protest, Mr Sosu used the opportunity to caution judges to desist from being biased and political in the discharge of their duties.
The GBA found the assertion by the MP “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.”
But in a response on February 14, the Madina legislator insisted that he stands by his statement.
“The statement was a conditional statement and no amount of twists and turns will extricate judicial officers and judges who will allow themselves to become agents of political agenda,” he said in a statement.
According to him, the GBA is creating a false impression about his statement by their press release suggesting that “judges would lose their jobs when the party that appointed them loses power.”
“My statement was clear ‘If you are a political judge, you will be dealt with politically… Judges owe a duty to the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the laws of Ghana. If a judge allows him or herself to become an agent of a Political party, the tenure of the said judge will run with the political parties they favour’.