I agree the optics don't look good for the Chief Justice's comments but... - Kpebu

The Chief Justice of Ghana, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has been urged by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) to exercise caution in his public engagements and commentary. In a press statement, the CDD-Ghana cautioned the Chief Justice to "exercise the highest possible restraint and discretion in his public engagement and commentary."

The center argued that by comparing the current administration's performance to its predecessor's, the Chief Justice crossed a crucial constitutional line into partisan validation.

The Chief Justice's recent comments at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) were deemed partisan by the CDD-Ghana. At MIIF, he praised the current management while questioning the organization's performance over the past eight years. At SSNIT, he contrasted current operations with past attempts to sell off certain properties within the organization's asset portfolio.

These remarks, according to the CDD-Ghana, risked creating a perception of political bias and compromising the Judiciary's non-partisan mandate, threatening the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates. The center's statement came at a critical time, as public trust in the Judiciary has hit its lowest point since Afrobarometer tracking began in 1999. Only 35% of citizens currently trust the courts, a 21-percentage-point decline since 2012.

The Think Tank urged the Chief Justice to lead by example, adhering strictly to the Code of Conduct and confining public appearances to matters that directly serve court administration or legal development. The CDD-Ghana also called for stronger internal oversight within the Judicial Council and the Association of Judges and Magistrates, to hold all judicial officers accountable.

The organization stressed that the Judiciary's integrity is crucial for democratic stability, and any breach of this trust could have dire consequences for the administration of justice.