The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has rejected calls for Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to resign over remarks he made during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF).
The Conference described the calls for his resignation as disproportionate, although it acknowledged that some of the Chief Justice’s comments could raise concerns about the appearance of judicial impartiality.
In a statement issued on Sunday, September 6, 2026, the Bishops said there was nothing inherently improper about the Chief Justice visiting public institutions, assessing their operations or commending improvements.
However, they said concern arose from the political interpretation that some of his remarks, particularly his reference to the “past eight years,” could reasonably attract.
Bishops Acknowledge Concerns Over Political Perception
According to the Conference, in Ghana’s political context, the phrase could easily be interpreted as a comparison between the current administration and its predecessor.
“In our national context, such a phrase is readily heard as a comparison between the present administration and its predecessor,” the Bishops said.
They added that what may have begun as a straightforward assessment of institutional performance “thus took on, at least in appearance, the character of a partisan judgment.”
The Conference also noted concerns raised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) that the remarks could create an impression of political endorsement and undermine public confidence in judicial impartiality.
Judicial Service Clarification Accepted
The Bishops, however, said they had taken note of the Judicial Service’s clarification that the Chief Justice made his observations in good faith and without any intention of compromising judicial independence.
The Judicial Service also reaffirmed his commitment to the integrity of the Judiciary and the principle of equality before the law.
“We receive that clarification in good faith,” the Conference said.
Despite accepting the explanation, the Bishops stressed that the controversy raises broader questions about judicial ethics and public trust.
They noted that the Chief Justice occupies a unique position because the courts may be called upon to determine disputes involving the government, political parties and public institutions.
“Judicial independence is not only a matter of actual impartiality; it also depends on the visible, unmistakable appearance of impartiality,” the statement said.
Resignation Calls ‘Disproportionate’
The Conference was nevertheless emphatic that the controversy did not constitute evidence that the Chief Justice was partisan or that the Judiciary had been compromised.
“Such conclusions would go well beyond the evidence available to us, and calls for his resignation on this basis alone strike us as disproportionate to the offence,” they said.
The Bishops acknowledged that the Chief Justice, like any other citizen, was entitled to hold his own convictions but stressed that his public conduct should not create reasonable doubts about his impartiality.
They suggested that he could have commended the achievements of SSNIT and MIIF on their own merits without drawing comparisons between the records of different administrations.
Bishops Urge Government and Opposition to Exercise Restraint
The Conference also appealed to both the governing party and the opposition to exercise restraint in their responses to the controversy.
“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 statement said.
The Bishops urged all public office holders to uphold the same standard of restraint, regardless of which political party is in government.
They said maintaining public confidence in the Judiciary requires not only actual independence but also conduct that visibly demonstrates impartiality.
