Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has admitted that public confidence in Ghana’s judiciary is declining, attributing the problem to delays in case hearings and perceptions of corruption within the system.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, November 10, 2025, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said the judiciary’s reputation mirrors the wider challenges in Ghanaian society.

“The judiciary is as corrupt as the people who man it, and the people who man it are as corrupt as the ordinary Ghanaian,” he stated.

He explained that systemic inefficiencies and limited access to judges often create opportunities for corruption or misperceptions about integrity.

“The ordinary Ghanaian goes to court, and if 100 people intend to see a judge because they have a case, less than three of them will be able to see the judge personally. They go through his wife, his girlfriend, or someone close to the judge,” he said.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie noted that while there are isolated instances of judicial misconduct, much of the public distrust stems from delayed justice and the complex structure of the court system.

“People’s confidence or trust in the judiciary going down is more as a result of the fact that their cases are not heard early,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said.

To tackle the problem, he proposed expanding the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to ease case backlogs, expedite hearings, and improve public satisfaction with the justice system.

“Once we know the causes of the decline in confidence, we can tackle it. If we sensitise people about ADR, people will go there, and the backlog will reduce,” he stated.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, efficiency, and accountability, pledging to restore public trust and strengthen the judiciary’s independence if confirmed as Chief Justice.