Accra: Mr Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the newly inaugurated Chief Justice, has reiterated the need for comprehensive reforms in Ghana's legal education system. "We also cannot ignore the call for reform in legal education. The future of the bar is the future of the bench. We must move from exclusion to inclusion, from rote learning to critical thinking and from credentialism to competence," he stated.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Baffoe-Bonnie made these remarks on Monday, during his inaugural address as Chief Justice of Ghana at the Presidency in Accra. Sworn into office by President John Dramani Mahama, Mr Baffoe-Bonnie becomes the 16th Chief Justice of Ghana, an appointment in line with Article 144 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
Before his inauguration, Mr Baffoe-Bonnie, the most senior Supreme Court Justice, had been serving as the Acting Chief Justice for the past seven months. This followed the suspension and subsequent removal from office of Lady Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, based on the recommendations of the Justice Gabriel Pwamang Committee.
Mr Baffoe-Bonnie emphasized that in collaboration with the General Legal Council, the Ghana School of Law, and the nation's law faculties, they would pursue a model that ensured opportunity without compromising quality. "Our goal is not merely to produce more lawyers but better lawyers who are disciplined, ethical and devoted to the cause of justice. Your Excellency today marks both continuity and renewal," he said.
He expressed his observations from serving in an Acting capacity over the past seven months, noting the quiet strength of judges and magistrates, the resilience of judicial service staff, and the enduring faith of citizens who rely on the courts for fairness. "So starting here, Your Excellency, today, I humbly accept the warrant of office and the sacred mandate to serve as Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana."
Mr Baffoe-Bonnie acknowledged the trust and responsibility of his new role. He expressed his deepest gratitude to the President for appointing him to the high office. "I accept this charge not for honour but for service to the constitution, to the law and to the people of Ghana. I pledge to discharge it faithfully, independently and with integrity," he stated.
He concluded by urging for a judiciary that remains a sanctuary of hope. "Let us together ensure that the Ghanaian judiciary remains not a citadel of privilege but a sanctuary of hope where the poor and the powerful alike can find refuge in the impartial majesty of the law."