Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has been nominated by President John Mahama to be the country’s next Chief Justice.
Regarding the appointment of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie to head the judiciary, the President has written to the Council of State to solicit its opinion. He has “served with diligence and integrity” as a jurist and made “invaluable contributions to the development of Ghanaian jurisprudence,” according to the statement.
The Presidency claims that because of his intelligence, objectivity, and unshakable dedication to justice, he has gained the respect of the Bench, the Bar, and the larger legal community.
He was noted as being very qualified for the high post due to his extensive experience and lengthy tenure on the Bench. This comes after Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was removed from office due to alleged misconduct.
The conclusions of a constitutional committee that was formed in accordance with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution served as the basis for her termination.
The most senior justice on Ghana’s Supreme Court at the moment is Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, who has been filling in since April 2025 following Justice Torkornoo’s suspension. Then-President John Agyekum Kufuor named him to the highest court in June 2008.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie was born on December 26, 1956, and completed his elementary education at Goaso before going on to Konongo Odumase Secondary School, where he earned both his Ordinary and Advanced Level certificates.
He then studied law at the University of Ghana and the Ghana Law School, where he was admitted to the bar in 1983. He advanced through the judicial system, holding positions as a Circuit Court Judge in Kumasi, a High Court Judge at Duayaw Nkwanta, and finally an Appeals Court Judge before being promoted to the Supreme Court.
Parliament will consider the nominee for review and approval when the Council of State advises the President in the next few days.
