Avoid comparing governments, Catholic Bishops tell Chief Justice

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has advised Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to refrain from comparing the records of different governments when discussing the performance of public institutions. They expressed concern that the Chief Justice's reference to the "past eight years" during his visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on September 2 could be perceived as a political comparison.

The Bishops clarified that there was no issue with the Chief Justice visiting public institutions, evaluating their operations, or praising genuine improvements. However, they warned that the political nature of such a remark, particularly when comparing the current administration to its predecessor, could create an impression of partisan judgment.

This concern was echoed by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, which cautioned that such remarks might suggest political endorsement and undermine trust in judicial impartiality. Despite the Judicial Service's clarification that the Chief Justice's comments were made in good faith and for impartial reasons, the Bishops emphasized that the episode highlights broader issues regarding the standards expected of the head of the Judiciary.

They stressed that the Chief Justice must be perceived as impartial, regardless of political context, as citizens must be able to approach the courts without concerns about bias. The Bishops cautioned against attributing partisanship to the Chief Justice or suggesting any compromise of the Judiciary, stating that such conclusions would be unfounded.

They advocated for a commendation of SSNIT and MIIF based on their achievements rather than political affiliations, urging both governmental and opposition parties to exercise restraint. The Bishops urged all public office holders to uphold the same standard of impartiality, regardless of their political allegiance.