The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has called on Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to exercise restraint in his public engagements to protect the independence and impartiality of the Judiciary.

The call follows remarks made by the Chief Justice during a working visit to the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) on Wednesday, September 2.

Speaking during his visit, the Chief Justice praised the current management for what he described as an impressive turnaround and questioned the performance of the institution over the previous eight years.

He also contrasted the current operations of SSNIT with past attempts to sell some properties in its asset portfolio, lamenting how the management of the country’s affairs could have previously “sunk so low.”

In a statement issued on Friday, September 4, CDD-Ghana said the Chief Justice’s comments risk creating a perception of political bias and undermining public confidence in the Judiciary.

“By explicitly contrasting performance under the current administration with its predecessor’s, the Chief Justice crossed a vital constitutional line into partisan validation. Such commentary creates a perception of political bias, compromises the Judiciary’s non-partisan mandate, and risks breaching the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates,” the Center stated.

CDD-Ghana said the remarks came at a critical time when public trust in the Judiciary is already under significant pressure.

It cited findings from Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey conducted in 2024, which showed that only 35% of citizens trusted the courts, representing a 21-percentage-point decline since 2012.

The Center further noted that 62% of respondents believed judicial decisions are routinely influenced by powerful interests, while about half doubted whether an ordinary person could obtain a fair trial.

It stressed that judges are not expected to withdraw completely from public life but said their positions demanded a high level of self-restraint to preserve public confidence.

“Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done — a principle that requires the unequivocal appearance of neutrality, not merely its substance,” CDD-Ghana stated.

The Center urged the Chief Justice to strictly adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates and limit his public engagements with state institutions to matters directly related to court administration or legal development.