CJ’s visits to state-owned institutions raise neutrality concerns – Prof Duah
Governance expert Professor Baffour Agyemang Duah has criticised the Chief Justice’s decision to undertake official visits to institutions under the Executive, saying that such public engagements could raise questions about the Judiciary’s neutrality and undermine confidence in the separation of powers.
Professor Baffour Agyemang Duah, a governance expert, has expressed concerns over Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie's decision to conduct official visits to state-owned Executive institutions. In an interview on JoyFM's Top Story, Duah argued that such visits could potentially compromise the Judiciary's neutrality and erode public trust in the separation of powers.
While acknowledging that the Chief Justice, as a private citizen, is entitled to his political opinions, Duah emphasized that his role as the head of the Judiciary requires heightened restraint. During a recent visit to state institutions like SSNIT and MIIF, the Chief Justice publicly praised their performance, which Duah found highly unusual and unsettling.
Duah noted that he could not recall any prior instances in Ghana's history where a sitting Chief Justice undertook similar official visits to Executive institutions. He argued that a Chief Justice's primary responsibility should be to oversee judicial functions within the Judiciary, not to engage with state-run entities. Duah stressed that while cooperation among the three branches of government is essential for democracy, there are clear boundaries that must not be crossed.
He questioned why the Chief Justice chose to visit state institutions in the first place, suggesting that this behavior may be indicative of a novelty or a breach of the institutional boundaries.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
