The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to exercise caution in his public remarks to avoid creating perceptions that could undermine the Judiciary’s political neutrality. Their appeal follows comments he made during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on September 2, 2026.
In a statement signed by Conference President, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, the Bishops emphasised that there was nothing improper about the Chief Justice visiting public institutions, reviewing their performance, or acknowledging progress. However, they expressed concern over his reference to the “past eight years,” noting that such phrasing could be construed as a political comparison between the current government and its predecessor.
The Bishops warned that, given Ghana’s political climate, the remark risks being interpreted as partisan commentary rather than a neutral evaluation of institutional performance. “In our national context, such a phrase is readily heard as a comparison between the present administration and its predecessor,” the statement read.
They noted that the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) had also expressed concern that the remarks could be perceived as political endorsement and potentially weaken confidence in the impartiality of the Judiciary.
The Bishops acknowledged the explanation subsequently issued by the Judicial Service that the Chief Justice’s observations were made in good faith and were not intended to compromise judicial independence. The Conference said it accepted that explanation but maintained that the incident raised broader concerns about the conduct expected of the head of the Judiciary. “The office of Chief Justice is not that of an ordinary public commentator,” the Bishops said.
They explained that the courts could be called upon to determine disputes involving the government, political parties and public institutions, making public confidence in the Chief Justice’s neutrality particularly important. According to the Conference, judicial independence must be evident not only in the decisions of the courts but also in the conduct of judicial leaders.
“Judicial independence is not only a matter of actual impartiality; it also depends on the visible, unmistakable appearance of impartiality,” it said. The Bishops therefore stressed that the Chief Justice must remain above political contestation and avoid statements that could reasonably cause the public to question his neutrality.
At the same time, the Conference said the remarks did not amount to proof that the Chief Justice was partisan or that the Judiciary had been compromised. It also rejected calls for his resignation, describing such demands as disproportionate to the issue.
The Bishops affirmed that while the Chief Justice, like any citizen, is entitled to personal convictions, he bears a heightened duty to ensure his public conduct reflects the sensitivity of his office. They noted that the achievements of SSNIT and MIIF could have been acknowledged without drawing comparisons to a previous administration.
The Conference further appealed to political parties to exercise restraint, cautioning the governing party against interpreting criticism of the Chief Justice as an attack on its record, and urging the opposition not to treat his remarks as proof of judicial capture. “The governing party ought not to treat criticism of the Chief Justice as an attack on its own record, nor should the opposition treat his remarks as proof that the courts have been captured,” the Bishops stated.
They concluded by calling on all public officials to uphold the same standard of restraint and safeguard public confidence in Ghana’s democratic institutions, regardless of which party is in power.
