Oppong Nkrumah questions Chief Justice’s ‘unprecedented’ tour of state-owned institutions

Former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has expressed astonishment at Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie's recent tours of state-owned entities, labeling the occurrence as unprecedented and perplexing. The MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi found the Chief Justice's visits to institutions like the Minerals Income Investment Fund and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust to be atypical for the judiciary.

This revelation came after the Chief Justice commended the performance of these public enterprises during his administration. Mr Nkrumah recalled that, throughout his political career, he had not come across any instance where the Chief Justice had undertaken official visits to state-owned entities.

The Member of Parliament argued that the judiciary is an independent arm of government and should maintain a degree of separation from the executive and legislative branches. He emphasized that the judiciary typically refrains from engaging in political or governance matters, as their primary role is to remain impartial and separate.

Mr Nkrumah questioned the rationale behind the Chief Justice's decision to partake in these tours, suggesting that they could potentially blur the lines between the judiciary and other government bodies. He also pointed out that the Chief Justice has been criticized for his apparent closeness to National Democratic Congress officials, which could further fuel concerns about the judiciary encroaching on its traditionally autonomous role.