The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Anatu Anne Seidu Bogobiri, Esq., has defended Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie over his recent call on Ghanaians to rally behind President John Dramani Mahama’s development agenda, describing criticism of the remarks as “mischievous, hypocritical and unpatriotic”.
The Chief Justice, speaking at a nation-building forum, had said: “President Mahama’s agenda is one that will benefit Ghana. We should do everything to ensure that he succeeds.”
The comment has since generated public debate, with some describing it as an overreach by the country’s top judge.
But in a strongly worded statement, Anatu Anne Bogobiri insisted there was “absolutely nothing wrong” with the Chief Justice’s remarks, arguing that a president’s success transcends party lines.
“John Dramani Mahama is not just National Democratic Congress President; he is President of the Republic of Ghana. His failure is Ghana’s failure. His success is Ghana’s success,” she said, adding that the success of the President’s agenda “to reset Ghana, fight corruption, create jobs and stabilize the economy” would benefit “every Ghanaian, including NPP supporters.”
She further contended that the Chief Justice’s comments were protected as a matter of constitutional right, stressing that he stopped short of any electoral or party endorsement.
“The Chief Justice did not say ‘NDC must win 2028.’ He did not say ‘vote for NDC.’ He spoke about Ghana,” Bogobiri said, describing the remarks as an expression of patriotism rather than politics.
“Calling for collective support for a national agenda is not partisan politics; it is patriotism.”
On concerns that the Chief Justice’s position on the bench required him to steer clear of such commentary, the Deputy NHIA CEO argued that the Judicial Oath applies to impartiality in adjudicating cases, not to silence on national issues.
“The Judicial Oath requires judges to be impartial in cases before them, not to be silent robots on national development,” she said, noting that the Chief Justice made the remarks at a nation-building forum and “not from the bench.”
She also accused critics of applying a double standard, pointing to what she described as precedent set by past Chief Justices.
“When past Chief Justices made similar calls for support for government programmes, those now shouting today were silent. We cannot have one standard for one government and another for President Mahama’s government,” she said.
Ms. Bogobiri concluded her statement with an appeal for national unity behind the President’s reset agenda.
“Let us be honest. President Mahama’s reset agenda is indeed for the benefit of Ghana. The Chief Justice, as an eminent statesman, has every right to call on all of us to support it to succeed,” she said.