Prez Mahama to swear-in Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie today, Monday, Nov. 17

President John Dramani Mahama is set to administer the oath of office to the newly approved Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, today, Monday, November 17, 2025.

The Legislature’s approval of Mr. Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination follows his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, November 10, 2025. Notably, the vetting process was marked by controversy, as the Minority Caucus rejected the nomination and abstained from participating.

The decision to boycott was announced by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin after a heated exchange with Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, resulting in a brief suspension.

Upon resumption, the Minority Caucus, led by Afenyo-Markin, walked out, leaving the Majority side to conduct the vetting.

“Be it known to you, chairman, and the committee and the country that we, the Minority Caucus, hereby vote en bloc to reject the nominee. We would want to state on record that the Majority can proceed with the questions. We do not intend to proceed with any question. We are, however, registering in the strongest terms that we reject the nomination, and the records should reflect that the report of this committee be a majority report,” the Minority Leader and MP for Effutu stated.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, who served as Acting Chief Justice, was nominated by President John Mahama to succeed former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo after her removal from office.

The Minority’s decision to reject the nominee and boycott the vetting session was based on concerns regarding the selection process and pending cases filed by Justice Torkonoo challenging her removal.

The vetting proceeded without the Minority’s cross-examination and scrutiny, raising questions about the legitimacy and bipartisan support for the eventual confirmation.

On Thursday, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, stated that the nominee was adequately vetted by the Majority caucus, demonstrating competence and deep knowledge of the law.

“The nominee demonstrated outstanding competence, deep knowledge of the law and a firm grasp of judicial ethics. He addressed questions posed by the committee with professionalism, clarity and intellectual rigour. The nominee possesses the requisite qualifications,” Ahiafor stated.

The Minority reiterated their challenge to the nominee, citing the pending cases, which also dragged on for several hours before the Chief Justice’s approval.

A headcount was conducted in the House following a back-and-forth discussion, resulting in 163 votes for the ‘Ayes’ and 69 votes for the ‘Nos’. Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has been a prominent figure in Ghana’s judiciary, serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court and Acting Chief Justice.

At the 29th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, he was honored for his contributions to the judiciary and delivered a stirring speech, urging journalists to uphold the principles of truth, courage, and responsibility in their work.

His nomination was viewed by many as a logical progression, given his seniority and experience.