Kpebu Warns Newly Called Ministers and MPs to Put Legal Ethics Above Party Loyalty

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has urged Ministers and Members of Parliament who were recently called to the Bar to uphold the highest standards of professional ethics, cautioning them against allowing political loyalty to interfere with their legal obligations.

Speaking to Citi News, Mr Kpebu advised the newly qualified lawyer‑politicians to ensure that their party affiliations do not influence their conduct as legal practitioners. He stressed that breaches of professional standards could attract disciplinary action from the General Legal Council, including suspension or withdrawal of practising licences.

“If the Minister doesn’t place the ethics of the profession high above party loyalty and were to get involved or embroiled in the law and there’s a conviction — sometimes even short of a conviction — depending on what the minister does, he can be reported to the General Legal Council. And if the council finds that that conduct is below par, the minister‑lawyer would be sanctioned, including the licence being withdrawn,” he said.

Mr Kpebu referenced the complaint filed against former Attorney‑General Godfred Dame over his alleged conduct in the Jakpa case as an example of the scrutiny lawyers may face. He noted that even the disciplinary process itself can cause significant personal and reputational damage.

“But even the trial in itself that now he’s before them, you see that it’s a lot. It brings a lot of stress, a lot of damage to reputation, etc. So they should remember the Godfred Dame case,” he added.

His comments follow the 63rd Call to the Bar ceremony held at the ICGC Christ Temple in Accra on Friday, October 9, 2026, where 1,568 new lawyers were admitted to the profession. Among them were Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah‑Kofi Buah, Channel One TV and Citi FM journalist Umaru Sanda Amadu, and broadcaster Naa Ashorkor Mensah‑Doku.

During the ceremony, Chief Justice Paul Baffoe‑Bonnie reminded the newly called lawyers — especially those in public‑facing roles — to regard the law as a public trust and uphold unwavering integrity.

— CitiNewsRoom