Parliament has confirmed the appointment of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the new Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, despite significant opposition from the Minority side.
The Minority members of the Appointments Committee had previously voted unanimously against the nominee.
The nomination was discussed and ratified by Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025. The session, overseen by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, featured extensive discussions regarding the President’s nominee.
The approval came after the Appointments Committee presented its report, having previously vetted the Supreme Court judge.
Committee Chairman Bernard Ahiafor, who moved the motion, stated that the committee recommends to the House, by majority vote, the adoption of the report for the approval of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice of Ghana.
The motion received a second from Ricketts-Hagan Kweku George, Vice Chairperson of the Appointments Committee.
Nevertheless, the Minority raised concerns about ongoing court cases involving the dismissed Chief Justice, among other matters. During the discussions, the Majority expressed their unwavering support for the nominee.
At the conclusion of the debate, the Minority rejected the nomination and called for a secret ballot.
However, Deputy Minority Whip Habib Iddrisu requested a headcount instead. The Speaker approved the request and instructed those opposed to the motion to stand.
Clerks at the table conducted the count, resulting in the Majority recording 163 votes while the Minority had 69. The Speaker subsequently announced the nominee’s approval by majority decision.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, who has been a member of the Supreme Court since 2008, will take over from Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo following his swearing-in by the President, in accordance with Article 144(1) of the 1992 Constitution.
