The Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has strongly denied assertions that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is advocating for the removal of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) from the 1992 Constitution. He emphasized that the GBA does not possess any constitutional rights that would justify its inclusion in the document.
In a post on his X page dated January 18, 2025, Dafeamekpor articulated that the GBA functions as a voluntary professional organization and cannot be transformed into a constitutional entity.
In an interesting twist, former GBA President Yaw Acheampong Boafo has criticized the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) for seemingly yielding to demands from the NDC regarding the potential removal of the GBA from the Constitution. He suggests that this recommendation is politically influenced and aims to undermine the association's established status.
Dafeamekpor clarified that the existence of the GBA is supported by rights outlined in Article 21(1)(e) of the Constitution, rather than being explicitly stated in other sections of the document. He cautioned that any efforts to assert a constitutional identity for the GBA would ultimately be unsuccessful.
He remarked, "The Constitution is a living document; it has the capacity to evolve... and therefore, the unwarranted sense of entitlement exhibited by the GBA must be systematically removed." This statement may provoke discussions about the role and perception of professional bodies within the constitutional framework of Ghana.
As this debate unfolds, it raises crucial questions: Is it appropriate for a professional body to seek constitutional recognition? What implications could this have for other similar organizations? We invite you to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments!
