The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has urged Chief Justice Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie and other public office holders to exercise restraint in their public comments to protect public confidence in state institutions.
The Conference said recent remarks by the Chief Justice during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) had raised concerns about the need for judicial officers to be seen as politically impartial.
In a statement signed by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, the Bishops said there was nothing wrong with the Chief Justice visiting public institutions and commending improvements.
However, they noted that his reference to the “past eight years” could be interpreted as comparing the current government with the previous administration, creating a perception of political judgment.
The Bishops stressed that judicial independence depends not only on actual impartiality but also on the public perception that judges remain above partisan politics.
They, however, clarified that they were not suggesting that the Chief Justice was partisan or that the Judiciary had been compromised. They also described calls for his resignation over the matter as disproportionate.
The Conference appealed to all political sides not to exploit the controversy for partisan advantage, urging both government and opposition supporters to exercise restraint.
According to the Bishops, public confidence in the Judiciary remains essential to Ghana’s democracy and justice system.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com
