The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has defended Chief Justice Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, stating that there was nothing wrong with him visiting public institutions and commending improvements in their operations.
The Conference, however, expressed concern over the political interpretation of some of his recent remarks during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF).
In a statement issued on Sunday, September 6, the bishops explained that the visits themselves were not inappropriate, noting that public institutions belonged to the people of Ghana.
“There is nothing improper, in itself, in the Chief Justice visiting public institutions, acquainting himself with their operations, or commending genuine improvement,” the statement noted.
However, the Conference indicated that the Chief Justice’s reference to the “past eight years” could reasonably be interpreted as a comparison between the current administration and its predecessor.
According to the bishops, the remark may have created an impression of a partisan judgment, even if that was not the Chief Justice’s intention.
The Conference noted that concerns had already been raised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, which warned that such remarks could create an impression of political endorsement and weaken public confidence in judicial impartiality.
It acknowledged a clarification by the Judicial Service, which explained that the Chief Justice’s comments were made in good faith and were not intended to compromise judicial independence.
The bishops stated that they accepted the clarification in good faith but maintained that judicial independence depended not only on actual impartiality but also on the public perception of impartiality.
They stressed that the Chief Justice must remain, and be seen to remain, above partisan politics because the courts could be called upon to adjudicate cases involving governments, political parties and public institutions.
However, the Conference clarified that its concerns should not be interpreted as an accusation that the Chief Justice was partisan or that the Judiciary had been compromised.
It described calls for his resignation based solely on the remarks as disproportionate.
The bishops suggested that the Chief Justice could have commended the achievements of SSNIT and MIIF without comparing the performance of one administration with another.
They further appealed to the governing party and the opposition not to exploit the matter for partisan advantage.
By: Jacob Aggrey
