Parliament has officially endorsed Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the Chief Justice of Ghana, following his vetting by the Appointments Committee on Monday, November 10.
His confirmation on Thursday, November 13, came after the Committee, through a majority vote, recommended the adoption of its report in favour of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s appointment.
“The Committee therefore recommends to the House by majority decision the adoption of the report of the approval of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana,” Committee Chairman Bernard Ahiafor announced while presenting the report to the House.
He explained that the nominee was approved after thorough consideration, noting that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie exhibited “outstanding competence, a very deep knowledge of the law, and a firm grasp of judicial ethics.”
Ahiafor further commended the nominee’s performance during the vetting, stating that he responded to the Committee’s questions with “professionalism, clarity, and intellectual rigor,” which demonstrated his ability to uphold the independence and integrity of the judiciary.
“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,” he added.
The debate over the Committee’s recommendation revealed sharp divisions between the Majority and Minority caucuses. While the Majority backed the motion to approve Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, the Minority opposed it and demanded a secret ballot to formally register their dissent.
At the end of the debate, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin put the motion to a voice vote and declared, “Honourable members, I think the ayes have it.”
The Minority, however, contested the outcome under Order 151(3) and called for a headcount. The final tally showed 163 Members of Parliament voting in favour and 69 against.
Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu questioned the accuracy of the headcount and requested a division—a secret vote requiring the evacuation of lobbies and non-MPs from the chamber. He argued that the recorded number of MPs who voted “aye” did not match those who physically stood to vote, alleging that non-MPs, including the Ashanti Regional Minister, remained in the chamber during the process.
“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,” he protested.
Despite the objection, Speaker Bagbin upheld the voice vote, declaring that the “ayes have it,” thereby confirming Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Ghana’s next Chief Justice.
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