Chief Justice remains committed to judicial independence, justice and equality – Judicial Service

The Judicial Service has reaffirmed Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie's dedication to the independence and integrity of the judiciary amid criticism over his recent remarks about the performance of certain state-owned entities. In a statement issued on Friday, September 4, the Judicial Service noted that Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie's comments were made in good faith and not intended to undermine the judiciary's independence.

The Chief Justice's comments, made during a recent outreach engagement, have sparked debate over whether they amounted to political commentary and could impact public perceptions of the judiciary's neutrality.

Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie praised certain public institutions, including the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), for their improvements in operations. He expressed surprise at the achievements of these organizations, questioning what Ghana had been doing in the past eight years.

This raised concerns about whether his remarks were politically motivated and potentially biased. The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) criticized the Chief Justice for entering the political arena and questioned his impartiality in presiding over politically sensitive cases. The NPP subsequently called for his resignation, arguing that his comments favored the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

However, defenders of the Chief Justice's comments argue that they were not necessarily political. President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, stated that the performance of state institutions could be assessed objectively using available data. NDC Deputy General Secretary Hamza Suhuyini also defended the Chief Justice, arguing that building working relationships with public institutions falls within his broader responsibilities.