Catholic Bishops warn Chief Justice against remarks that could blur judicial impartiality

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has issued a warning to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie regarding his public remarks that could potentially undermine the perceived political impartiality of the Judiciary. This concern arose following the Chief Justice's statements during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on September 2, 2026.

The Conference, in a statement, emphasized that there was no issue with the Chief Justice visiting these institutions or praising their performance. However, they expressed worry that his mention of the "past eight years" could be interpreted as a political comparison between the current administration and its predecessor. The Conference noted that while the Chief Justice's comments may have been intended to assess the institutions' performance, they could "take on, at least in appearance, the character of a partisan judgment."

The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development had also raised similar concerns about the potential for such remarks to create the impression of political endorsement and diminish confidence in judicial impartiality. The Conference, while acknowledging the Chief Justice's clarification that his remarks were made in good faith and without intending to compromise judicial independence, maintained that this incident raised important questions about public trust in the Judiciary.

They stressed that the Chief Justice's role is not merely that of a public commentator but a neutral arbiter in legal disputes involving the government, political parties, and public institutions. The Bishops argued that citizens must be able to approach the courts without doubting the Chief Justice's impartiality. They emphasized the importance of judicial independence, not just in terms of actual impartiality but also in the outward appearance of it.

The Conference specifically cautioned against the Chief Justice aligning himself with any political era, stating that the head of the Judiciary must "be, and must be seen to be, above the partisan contest." The Bishops made it clear that they were not accusing the Chief Justice of partisanship or suggesting any compromise of the Judiciary.

They rejected calls for his resignation, describing such demands as disproportionate. They suggested that the Chief Justice could have praised SSNIT and MIIF based on their achievements without making political comparisons. The Conference urged political actors to approach the controversy as an opportunity for reflection rather than partisan advantage.

They called for a standard of restraint from all public office holders, regardless of their political allegiance.