Justice Baffoe-Bonnie vows equal access to Justice if confirmed as Chief Justice

Nominee for Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has pledged to ensure that access to justice in Ghana will not depend on a person’s social status or political connections if Parliament confirms his appointment.

Speaking at his vetting before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said he was fully aware that his nomination comes at a crucial moment for Ghana’s democracy, when public trust in the judiciary is being tested.

“If confirmed, I will stand with every judge, court user, and citizen in the belief that access to justice should not depend on who you are or your connections,” he stated.

He assured the Committee that he would lead efforts to restore confidence in the judiciary through greater transparency, efficiency, and accessibility.

His proposed reforms, he explained, will be anchored on three key pillars, procedural clarity, efficiency and accountability, and open justice.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie noted that the judiciary must not only interpret laws but also reflect the nation’s conscience by ensuring that justice is not only delivered but also felt by citizens.

He stressed that the judiciary’s constitutional role is to serve as a guardian of rights, a check on abuses of power, and the final arbiter in upholding the rule of law, not as a political actor.

By: Jacob Aggrey