The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has raised concerns over recent public comments by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, warning that his remarks could create doubts about the political neutrality of Ghana’s Judiciary.
The Center is urging the Chief Justice to exercise greater restraint and discretion in his public engagements to protect the credibility and impartiality of the judicial system.
The concerns follow comments made by the Chief Justice on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), where he was accompanied by members of the Council for Legal Education and Training.
At MIIF, the Chief Justice praised the institution’s current management but questioned its performance over the previous eight years.
He made similar observations at SSNIT, where he contrasted the institution’s current operations with previous efforts to dispose of some of its properties and expressed concern about the state of affairs under earlier management.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 4, CDD-Ghana said the remarks could be interpreted as a comparison between the current and previous administrations and potentially create the impression that the Chief Justice was endorsing one political side.
The Center warned that such perceptions could undermine the Judiciary’s non-partisan character and raise questions about compliance with the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates.
CDD-Ghana said the concerns were particularly significant given the existing challenges surrounding public confidence in the Judiciary.
The organisation cited findings from the 2024 Afrobarometer Round 10 survey, which showed that only 35% of Ghanaians expressed trust in the courts, representing a 21-percentage-point decline from 2012.
The survey also found that 62% of respondents believed judicial decisions were routinely influenced by powerful interests, while about half questioned whether ordinary citizens could receive a fair trial.
Against this backdrop, CDD-Ghana said the conduct and public statements of senior judicial officers must be carefully considered because they can have a direct impact on how citizens perceive the independence of the courts.
The Center stressed that judges are not expected to completely withdraw from public life but must exercise self-restraint to ensure that their actions do not create an appearance of political alignment.
“Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done,” CDD-Ghana stated, emphasising the importance of maintaining an unequivocal appearance of judicial neutrality.
The organisation has therefore called on the Chief Justice to strictly adhere to the Code of Conduct and limit public engagements, particularly with state institutions, to issues directly connected to judicial administration, legal education or the development of the justice system.
CDD-Ghana has also urged the Judicial Council and the Association of Judges and Magistrates to strengthen internal oversight mechanisms and ensure that judicial officers are held to the same ethical standards regardless of their positions.
The Center said the Judiciary remains a fundamental pillar of Ghana’s constitutional democracy and cautioned that declining public confidence in its independence and integrity could have broader implications for democratic stability.
It has consequently appealed to the Chief Justice to reflect on the responsibilities attached to his office and ensure that his public conduct reinforces, rather than weakens, confidence in the impartial administration of justice.
