Accra: Social media users, particularly on X and Facebook, have lambasted Chief Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie over remarks they described as unworthy of a person in his position. During courtesy visits on September 2, 2026, the Chief Justice compared the current achievements of certain state institutions to those under the previous administration. He expressed shock that these same institutions, according to him, were unable to perform during the earlier regime.
According to Ghana Web, the Chief Justice stated, "I must congratulate you. I mean, you have done marvellously well. Sometimes, when we hear about the things that you have done and the things that some organisations are doing now, we wonder. Some of us keep wondering what we really have been doing in the past eight years." He further commented on SSNIT's past troubles, questioning how the nation could have reached a low point, citing plans to sell prized assets like the Labadi Beach Hotel.
Following these remarks, the Chief Justice has come under sharp criticism online, with many questioning the appropriateness of such statements from the head of the judiciary. Some X users suggested that his comments amounted to an endorsement of the current government while serving as a rebuke of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. They accused him of aligning with the executive branch and behaving more like a national chairman of the NDC, hence damaging the office's reputation.
Others questioned whether he had begun campaigning for the NDC, suggesting that his remarks blurred the line between judicial independence and partisan politics. A widely circulated response questioned if the controversial removal of his predecessor, Gertrude Torkornoo, had been worthwhile if it ultimately led to this outcome. Many expressed disbelief that such statements could come from the country's top judge, arguing that they risk undermining public confidence in the judiciary.
One user wrote: "Your office is not a campaign platform. You are not an NDC spokesperson. You are the head of an independent judiciary that is supposed to stand above the political fray. When you start scoring the previous administration while touring state institutions under the current one, you erode the very confidence you claim to protect. Smh."
Another user criticized: "The arm of government that is supposed to 'check and balance' the executive arm is rather bootlicking the executive arm. The CJ has tarnished the image of that office. In a serious country, he will resign and go home."
The backlash extended to academic circles, with Prof Kwaku Azar commenting on the Chief Justice's statements, emphasizing that Ghanaians did not appoint him to grade governments but to deliver justice impartially. Prof Azar added that reflecting on past performances should be done without sounding like a party activist, as such language damages the judiciary more than external criticisms ever could.