Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has launched the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Ghana in Accra, urging a renewed commitment to faster, more accessible, and transparent justice delivery.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Justice said the milestone should be seen not only as a celebration but as an opportunity for reflection and reform under the theme “Honouring the past, celebrating the present, and defining the future.”
He described the anniversary as “more than a milestone,” stressing that it should inspire honest reflection, gratitude, and bold ambition for the future of 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, adding that the occasion should mark a commitment to building a judiciary worthy of public trust.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie emphasised that the anniversary must be anchored on the pursuit of faster, more accessible and transparent justice.
He said the courts had made progress in becoming more open and efficient, noting that the judiciary has embraced technology and strengthened internal processes to improve service delivery.
However, he cautioned that the justice system still faces significant challenges that must be addressed.
“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 pointed to persistent concerns including congestion in the courts, reliance on manual systems in a digital era, and inequalities in access to justice influenced by geography, cost and time.
According to him, these are systemic issues that must be confronted, not criticisms of individuals within the judiciary.
“The truth is that longevity without renewal is a quiet form of decline,” he said, adding that the law must evolve continuously if it is to remain relevant.
He stressed that the next phase of the Supreme Court’s development must go beyond rhetoric and superficial reforms.
“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 further called for a justice system that is faster, clearer and closer to the people, warning that delays weaken justice, complexity limits access, and distance undermines fairness.
“Delayed justice is diluted justice. Obscure justice is inaccessible justice. Distant justice is denied justice,” he added.
