Ghana’s Parliament has confirmed Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the nation’s new Chief Justice, following an intense debate and a closely contested vote that highlighted divisions within the House.
His approval on Thursday, November 13, came three days after his vetting by the Appointments Committee. The Committee, chaired by Bernard Ahiafor, had earlier endorsed his nomination through a majority decision.
Presenting the report to Parliament, Mr. Ahiafor said Justice Baffoe-Bonnie had shown “outstanding competence, a very deep knowledge of the law, and a firm grasp of judicial ethics.”
He noted that during the vetting, the nominee answered all questions with “professionalism, clarity, and intellectual rigor,” demonstrating his readiness to uphold the integrity and independence of the Supreme Court.
“The Committee is satisfied that the nominee possesses the requisite qualifications, judicial temperament, and commitment to constitutional values expected of the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana,” Ahiafor stated.
However, debate on the report exposed a deep partisan split. While the Majority in Parliament threw their full support behind Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination, the Minority resisted the approval and demanded that a secret ballot be conducted to record their opposition.
After the debate, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin initially declared the motion passed through a voice vote, announcing, “Honourable members, I think the ayes have it.”
The Minority immediately challenged the outcome under Order 151(3) and requested a headcount. When the count concluded, 163 Members of Parliament voted in favor, while 69 voted against.
Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu later disputed the result, arguing that the headcount was inaccurate and calling for a division, a process requiring the lobbies to be cleared of all non-MPs. He claimed that individuals who were not Members of Parliament, including the Ashanti Regional Minister, remained seated during the vote.
“Mr. Speaker, I made the application because I don’t believe it is the right number of MPs that stood up to vote ‘aye.’ The Ashanti Regional Minister was still seated when he should have stepped out as a non-MP,” Iddrisu argued.
Though there were objections, the Speaker reaffirmed the result, ruling that “the ayes have it,” officially confirming Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the new Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, Myjoyonline reported.
