Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has acknowledged the difficulty of balancing the demands of judicial office with personal relationships and social responsibilities, saying judges must not abandon their humanity because of their positions.

His comments come amid criticism of remarks he recently made about the performance of some state-owned enterprises (SOEs) under the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration and the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

During visits to some of the institutions, the Chief Justice was heard making comparative remarks about their performance under the two administrations.

The remarks prompted the NPP to call on the Chief Justice to retract what it described as partisan political comments or resign from office and formally join the NDC.

Responding to the criticism at the opening of the 45th Annual Conference of the Judges and Magistrates Association of Ghana, the Chief Justice said his attendance at public events organised to honour close friends and relatives had, on some occasions, attracted criticism from people who believed his position required him to remain within the confines of his office.

“I have in recent times run into some trouble in this office precisely because I allowed my humanity to overtake my official restraint,” he said.

He said there had also been instances when, in his capacity as Chair of the Council for Legal Education and Training, he undertook official visits and engagements when it might have been safer to remain in the office.

“There have been occasions when I have attended public events to honour close friends and relatives and others when, in my capacity as chair of the Council for Legal Education and Training, I have undertaken official visits and engagements where perhaps the safer course would have been to remain behind the walls of the office,” he said.

According to the Chief Justice, some of those activities had generated strong reactions and criticism.

“But these experiences, which have sometimes drawn a cacophony of noises, some of which border on pure mischief, have rather reminded me and reinforced my thinking that we must never abandon our humanity simply because we have assumed judicial office,” he said.

He acknowledged that judicial officers must maintain professional restraint but suggested that doing so should not require them to completely withdraw from the human relationships and responsibilities that exist outside the courtroom.