‘What You Did Was Beneath the Dignity of Your Office’ – Arthur Kennedy to CJ

Senior New Patriotic Party (NPP) member Dr Arthur Kennedy has criticised Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie over recent comments on the management of state institutions, describing the conduct as unbecoming of the country’s highest judicial office.

According to Dr Kennedy, the Chief Justice’s remarks, which included observations about institutions such as the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), did not portray Ghana’s judiciary in a favourable light.

“What you did was beneath the dignity of your office, and it did not reflect well on you or the judiciary,” Dr Kennedy said in a video posted on X on Friday, September 4.

The comments come amid a growing debate over the Chief Justice’s recent assessment of the performance and management of state institutions. While some members of the public have defended his remarks as an expression of opinion, the NPP has criticised them as political.

The party has called on the Chief Justice to either withdraw the comments or resign from his position and join the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dr Kennedy, however, also took issue with the partisan reactions to the controversy, accusing supporters of both major political parties of hypocrisy.

He argued that NPP supporters who defended former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo but are now criticising the current Chief Justice were being inconsistent. Similarly, he said NDC supporters who previously condemned Torkornoo but are now defending Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie were also displaying partisan hypocrisy.

Addressing the Chief Justice directly, Dr Kennedy said the occupant of the country’s highest judicial position should have recognised that the remarks were inappropriate without needing specific ethical rules to guide him.

“The Chief Justice does not need ethical laws to know that what he did was wrong,” he said.

“If he does, then maybe he is not worthy of his office. A Chief Justice instinctively must know that things like this are inappropriate and avoid them. He is the exemplar for our judiciary.”

Dr Kennedy urged the Chief Justice to apologise for the remarks and commit to avoiding similar conduct in the future.

“I hope you can find it in your heart to apologise and pledge to do no more,” he said.

He also called on the Chief Justice to direct his attention towards challenges within the judiciary, including delays in the appellate process, the prolonged detention of some inmates, missing case dockets, alleged corruption within the judiciary and concerns surrounding the assignment of judicial panels.

“Sir, if you are looking for things to do, there are a lot of things you can improve in our judiciary,” Dr Kennedy said.

He argued that tackling these issues would enable the Chief Justice to leave a positive legacy while helping to restore public confidence in the judiciary.

“I urge you, Mr. Chief Justice, not to disappoint us,” he added.