Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has raised concerns about the way the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is handling its 2025 Annual Conference.
In a post on X on Wednesday, 20th August, 2025, he said that, the decision not to include President John Dramani Mahama in the list of advertised speakers shows bias against the current government.
Mr. Dafeamekpor, who is also a lawyer, expressed his disappointment in a post on social media. He explained that from 2017 to 2024, the GBA consistently invited former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to serve as the Special Guest of Honour and Speaker at its annual gatherings.
However, in 2025, the tradition appears to have changed, as President Mahama’s name is missing from the programme.
The lawmaker described the situation as unusual, questioning why the current president has been sidelined at such an important national event.
Instead of inviting him, the GBA has chosen to bring in the President of the Bar Council of England and Wales, a body that, according to Dafeamekpor, had recently made harsh remarks against the Ghanaian government. He also sarcastically suggested that the GBA might as well add the President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association to make their actions clearer.
Dafeamekpor further accused the GBA of showing open bias towards the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government led by President Mahama. He argued that the Association’s actions give the impression that it is aligning itself with the main opposition party instead of being a neutral professional body.
He concluded by warning that the NDC is prepared to face any such attempts to undermine its government. His comments have already sparked discussions about the neutrality of the GBA and its role in Ghana’s legal and political space.
This development adds to the ongoing debate about whether professional associations in Ghana should stay away from partisan politics or openly engage when government actions are under scrutiny.
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