Dr. Arthur Kennedy, a senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former presidential aspirant, has criticised Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie over his recent comments on the performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
The Chief Justice has come under criticism after touring state-owned institutions and commending improvements in their performance.
During a working visit to the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on September 2, 2026, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said: “Sometimes when we hear how well some state organisations are doing now, we wonder what we really have been doing in the past eight years and how Ghana could have sunk so low.”
The remarks have been described by critics, including former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, as “shocking and unprecedented.”
Dr. Kennedy said the Chief Justice should not be using his office to tour state-owned enterprises and comment on the performance of previous administrations.
“Your place as Chief Justice is not to be touring state-owned enterprises and making the remarks that you made,” he said.
He said the Chief Justice should instead concentrate on problems within the judiciary.
Dr. Kennedy mentioned delays in the appellate process, prisoners who have spent long periods in prison and whose case dockets have been lost, judicial corruption and the assignment of judicial panels among the issues requiring attention.
“If you are looking for things to do, there are a lot of things you can improve in our judiciary,” he said.
He argued that dealing with such issues would help improve the Chief Justice’s legacy.
“What you did was beneath the dignity of your office, and it did not reflect well on you or the judiciary,” Dr. Kennedy said.
He also urged the Chief Justice to apologise for the remarks and avoid similar comments in the future.
“I hope you can find it in your heart to apologise and pledge to do no more,” he said.
Dr. Kennedy further argued that the Chief Justice should understand the limits expected of his office without relying only on formal ethical rules.
“A Chief Justice instinctively must know that things like this are inappropriate and avoid them,” he said.
