Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has launched the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Ghana in Accra, using the occasion to call for urgent reforms to ensure faster, more accessible, and transparent justice delivery.
Speaking at the ceremony, he said the milestone should not only be a celebration but also a moment for reflection and renewal under the theme, “Honouring the past, celebrating the present, and defining the future.” He stressed that the anniversary must inspire both gratitude and bold ambition for the judiciary.
“History will not judge us by how long the court has existed, but by what we did with the moment entrusted to us,” he said, urging a commitment to building a judiciary worthy of public trust.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie acknowledged progress made in improving efficiency and openness within the courts, including the adoption of technology and strengthened internal processes. However, he cautioned that significant challenges remain.
“We cannot say that all is well,” he stated. “There are still delays, there are still barriers, there are still moments where justice feels distant to those who need it.”
He identified key concerns such as court congestion, continued reliance on manual systems, and inequalities in access to justice driven by geography, cost, and time. He emphasised that these issues are systemic and not a reflection of individual shortcomings within the judiciary.
“The truth is that longevity without renewal is a quiet form of decline,” he noted, underscoring the need for continuous evolution in the legal system.
The Chief Justice stressed that the next phase of the Supreme Court’s development must move beyond rhetoric to meaningful action.
“The next chapter of our court must not be rhetoric,” he said. “It must be a deep commitment to excellence in the delivery of justice for all.”
He concluded with a strong warning on the consequences of inefficiency in the justice system: “Delayed justice is diluted justice. Obscure justice is inaccessible justice. Distant justice is denied justice.”
