A member of Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee and Manhyia South MP, Nana Adjei Baffour Awuah, has described comments by the Chief Justice on the performance of state institutions as “extremely unfortunate.”

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, during a visit to the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on Wednesday, September 2, praised the performance of the MIIF and other public institutions under the current administration, saying some of the developments he has witnessed have left him wondering what Ghana was doing over the past eight years.

According to Mr Awuah, the remarks were inappropriate given the office the Chief Justice occupies.

Speaking on Joy FM's Middaynews on Thursday, September 3, Mr Awuah argued that the issue should not be assessed solely on the words used by the Chief Justice, but also on the circumstances and capacity in which the comments were made.

He noted that the Chief Justice attended the event in his official capacity, accompanied by other Supreme Court justices, the Judicial Secretary, the Director of the Ghana School of Law and the Registrar of the institution.

“It's an unfortunate indiscretion on the part of the Chief Justice. Extremely unfortunate. We shouldn't just look at the words. We should also look at the capacity in which he went there," he said.

Mr Awuah said the Chief Justice, by virtue of his position, is expected to maintain the necessary neutrality of the Judiciary, particularly when commenting on matters involving political administration and other arms of government.

He argued that the Chief Justice did not attend the event as a private citizen but as the head of the judiciary, making his comments more consequential.

“He went there in the full glory and regalia of his office as Chief Justice... So he went there with the full weight, might, glory and clothed with the regalia of the Judiciary.”

The MP further suggested that the conduct could raise ethical concerns, insisting that the Judiciary must be seen to remain neutral and independent in its public engagements.