The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has called on Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to exercise greater restraint and discretion in his public engagements, warning that comments contrasting the performance of the current administration with that of its predecessor could create perceptions of political bias within the Judiciary.
In a press statement issued on Friday, September 4, 2026, CDD-Ghana said the Chief Justice’s remarks during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on September 2 raised concerns about the appearance of judicial neutrality.
The visits were undertaken alongside members of the Council for Legal Education and Training.
According to CDD-Ghana, the Chief Justice, while at MIIF, praised the institution’s current management but questioned its performance over “the past eight years.”
At SSNIT, the Center said, the Chief Justice contrasted the institution’s current operations with previous attempts to sell some properties in its asset portfolio, while lamenting that the management of the country’s affairs had previously “sunk so low.”
CDD-Ghana contends that by explicitly contrasting the performance of the current administration with that of its predecessor, the Chief Justice risked crossing what it described as “a vital constitutional line into partisan validation.”
The Center said such remarks could create a perception of political bias, undermine the Judiciary’s non-partisan mandate and potentially raise concerns under the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates.
CDD-Ghana raises concern over declining public trust
The call comes against the backdrop of concerns over public confidence in Ghana’s Judiciary.
CDD-Ghana cited findings from Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey conducted in 2024, which it said showed that only 35% of citizens expressed trust in the courts.
The Center noted that this represented a 21-percentage-point decline since 2012. It further said 62% of respondents believed judicial decisions were routinely influenced by powerful interests, while about half of respondents doubted that an ordinary person could obtain a fair trial.
According to CDD-Ghana, the concern is not that judges should withdraw completely from public life, but that judicial office requires a degree of self-restraint necessary to maintain public confidence.
“Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done,” the Center said, arguing that this principle requires the Judiciary to maintain an unequivocal appearance of neutrality.
Call for stricter adherence to judicial ethics
CDD-Ghana urged the Chief Justice to lead by example by adhering strictly to the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates.
It further called for his public engagements, including interactions with other state institutions, to be confined to matters directly connected to court administration or legal development.
The Center also called on the Judicial Council and the Association of Judges and Magistrates to strengthen internal oversight and ensure that judicial officers are held accountable regardless of rank.
CDD-Ghana stressed that public confidence is fundamental to the Judiciary’s authority, warning that damage to the institution’s credibility could have broader implications for Ghana’s constitutional democracy.
“The Judiciary is the bedrock of Ghana’s constitutional order,” the Center said, adding that judicial credibility is preserved through conduct that leaves no room for doubt.
The Center therefore called on the Chief Justice to reflect on the responsibilities of his office, align his public conduct with the ethical demands of judicial office and uphold the applicable Code of Conduct in order to help restore public trust in the administration of justice.
