The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has rejected calls by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to resign over comments he made during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF).
The NPP, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 3, 2026, called for the Chief Justice’s resignation, arguing that his comments during the engagements raised concerns about his neutrality and the political independence of the Judiciary.
However, the Catholic Bishops have described the demand as disproportionate, saying the available evidence does not establish that the Chief Justice is partisan or that the Judiciary has been compromised.
In a statement issued on Sunday, September 6, the Conference said the Chief Justice was entitled to visit public institutions, assess their performance and acknowledge improvements without such actions being considered improper.
It acknowledged, however, that some of his remarks could create concerns about the appearance of judicial impartiality.
The Bishops said particular attention had been drawn to the Chief Justice’s reference to the “past eight years,” noting that the expression could easily be interpreted within Ghana’s political context as a comparison between the current administration and its predecessor.
They said this had the effect of making what could have been a straightforward assessment of SSNIT and MIIF appear, at least in perception, to carry a partisan political judgment.
The Conference also acknowledged concerns raised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) that the comments could create an impression of political endorsement and undermine public confidence in the neutrality of the Judiciary.
However, the Bishops said they had taken note of the Judicial Service’s explanation that the Chief Justice’s comments were made in good faith and were not intended to compromise judicial independence.
The Judicial Service, they noted, had also reaffirmed the Chief Justice’s commitment to judicial integrity and equality before the law.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
