The Appointments Committee of Parliament has recommended the approval of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana by a majority decision, following his vetting on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Presenting the Committee’s report to the House, Chairman Bernard Ahiafor stated that the nominee demonstrated outstanding competence, a deep knowledge of the law, and a firm grasp of judicial ethics during the proceedings.
“The nominee addressed questions posed by the Committee with professionalism, clarity, and intellectual rigour, reflecting his capacity to uphold the independence, integrity, and dignity of the highest court of the land,” Mr. Ahiafor said.
He highlighted that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie provided detailed responses on critical judicial issues, including the duration of presidential election petitions, the cost of litigation and access to justice, regional access to the Court of Appeal, and the establishment of a Court of Appeal for the five northern regions.
Other concerns addressed included the backlog of cases, delays in justice delivery, congestion in prisons involving remand prisoners, judicial leadership, and the management of dissenting views.
The nominee according to the chairman, also tackled perceptions of corruption in the judiciary, the reintroduction of an electronic case management system, judicial independence, and curbing public suspicion of executive overreach in judicial appointments.
Acting in accordance with Article 144(1) of the Constitution and Order 217 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Committee expressed satisfaction that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie possesses the requisite qualifications, judicial temperament, and commitment to constitutional values expected of the Chief Justice.
“The Committee therefore recommends to the House, by majority decision, the adoption of this report and the approval of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana,” Mr. Ahiafor concluded.
The recommendation now awaits consideration and approval by the full House.
The report by the committee comes on the back of the walkout staged by the Minority during the nominee’s vetting on Monday.
According to the Minority, an approval of the nominee while several court proceedings are ongoing to challenge his predecessor, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo will amount to a constitutional collision.