Parliament Approves Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as New Chief Justice Despite Minority Opposition
Parliament has approved the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the next Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, despite firm resistance from the Minority caucus. The approval followed a heated debate on the floor of the House on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
The decision came after the Appointments Committee presented its report to the plenary. The committee, which earlier vetted the Supreme Court judge, recommended his approval by a majority decision.
Moving the motion, Committee Chairman Bernard Ahiafor urged the House to adopt the report endorsing Justice Baffoe-Bonnie. The motion was seconded by the committee’s Vice Chairperson, Ricketts-Hagan Kweku George.
The Minority, however, reiterated their objections, citing concerns over ongoing legal matters involving the dismissed Chief Justice and other related issues. The Majority side, in contrast, offered full support for the nominee, highlighting his long-standing service and experience on the bench.
At the end of the debate, the Minority called for a secret ballot. But Deputy Minority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, invoked the rules of the House and requested a headcount instead. The Speaker, Alban Bagbin, upheld the request and directed those opposing the motion to stand.
Clerks conducted the headcount, recording 163 votes for the Majority and 69 for the Minority. The Speaker subsequently declared Justice Baffoe-Bonnie approved by a majority decision.
Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who has been a Justice of the Supreme Court since 2008, will officially assume office after being sworn in by the President, in accordance with Article 144(1) of the 1992 Constitution.
