Ghana Bar Association denies snubbing President Mahama at 2025 Conference

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has firmly denied reports claiming it failed to invite President John Dramani Mahama to its upcoming 2025 Annual Conference in Wa, Upper West Region.

In a statement issued on Thursday, August 21, the GBA described the reports as false, misleading, and a misconception of facts, affirming that the President was duly invited and had accepted the invitation to attend as Guest of Honour.

The Association explained that the Bar Council paid a courtesy call on the President in March 2025 to extend an informal invitation, followed by a formal letter sent on July 21. This invitation was acknowledged by the Presidency on July 29, with an official acceptance letter dated August 1 confirming President Mahama’s participation.

The GBA clarified that it has a longstanding practice of circulating initial conference notices to its members even while awaiting formal responses from invited dignitaries, including the President.

“Upon receipt of confirmation by the GBA that the President of the Republic would honour the invitation, the Association, in line with its practice, published and circulated another notice… stating that this year’s Conference shall be under the distinguished patronage of H.E. John Dramani Mahama as Guest of Honour,” the statement noted.

The Association also pushed back against suggestions that inviting the Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales was a slight against the President. It emphasized that international legal bodies are routinely invited to the GBA’s conferences and that such gestures in no way diminish the status or role of Ghana’s Head of State.

“The GBA will not do anything to undermine the authority and dignity of the office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, as it is a non-partisan Association,” the statement concluded.

The 2025 GBA Annual Conference is scheduled to take place in Wa, with President Mahama set to attend as the Guest of Honour.