Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has called on Ghanaians to embrace integrity as a national value, stressing that while doing the right thing may come with personal sacrifice, corruption ultimately imposes a far greater cost on the entire nation.
Speaking at the launch of the National Integrity Awards Scheme in Parliament on Monday, the Chief Justice said integrity should not be understood merely as telling the truth but as the willingness to pay the price for doing what is right.
According to him, integrity is often difficult because it requires individuals to give up advantages they could easily obtain through dishonest means.
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“Integrity is not merely honesty. It is not simply telling the truth. Integrity is the willingness to sacrifice to pay the price for doing what is right,” Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said.
He explained that the cost of integrity is often borne by individuals, while the cost of corruption is shared by society as a whole.
“The honest trader may lose some money, but dishonest trading destroys confidence in the marketplace. The honest public officer may retire without unexplained wealth, but corruption impoverishes our entire nation,” he noted.
The Chief Justice also cited examples from education and politics, saying a student who refuses to cheat during an examination may appear disadvantaged compared with those who exchange answers, but cheating ultimately undermines the value of the entire education system.
He argued that a politician who chooses to persuade voters with ideas rather than gifts and inducements may win an election, but vote-buying weakens democracy and ultimately harms the very people whose votes are purchased.
Integrity and public trust
According to Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, integrity is indispensable to the survival and progress of every nation because societies depend heavily on trust.
He warned that once public trust disappears, institutions begin to weaken, public confidence declines, and the legitimacy of justice itself can come under question.
“No nation has ever succeeded by rewarding dishonesty and unethical conduct. Sooner or later, every society discovers that trust is its greatest currency. And once trust disappears, institutions begin to weaken,” he said.
The Chief Justice placed particular emphasis on the importance of integrity within the judiciary, noting that the effectiveness of justice depends largely on public confidence.
According to him, people obey court orders and decisions not because judges possess physical power, but because citizens believe that justice has been served fairly.
“Without integrity and sacrifice, the work of justice cannot survive,” he stressed.
Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie welcomed the establishment of the National Integrity Awards Scheme, describing it as a timely initiative that could help promote ethical conduct and strengthen public trust in Ghana’s institutions.
Ghana, he said, has for too long celebrated success without always asking about the character and principles behind that success.
He therefore called for greater recognition of individuals who choose principle over convenience and public service over personal advantage.
“If we wish to build a generation in which integrity becomes the norm rather than the exception, condemnation alone is not enough. We must also honour integrity publicly, consistently and without apology,” he said.
The Chief Justice urged stakeholders to ensure that the National Integrity Awards Scheme goes beyond a ceremonial event and develops into a broader national movement.
He said the initiative should inspire children, encourage public servants, strengthen institutions and remind Ghanaians that although integrity comes at a price, its value cannot be measured.
Call for a national integrity movement
Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie further urged Ghanaians to understand that integrity is not simply about doing the right thing once but about consistently choosing what is right, even when wrongdoing appears to offer greater rewards.
“Integrity is continuing to do the right thing even when doing the wrong thing appears to promise better rewards,” he said.
He noted that history ultimately remembers societies not for those who chose the easiest path but for those who sacrificed and demonstrated courage by choosing what was right.
The Chief Justice congratulated the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and Parliament for the initiative and pledged his support for efforts aimed at promoting integrity, accountability and public trust in Ghana.
He expressed the hope that the National Integrity Awards Scheme would help build a stronger culture of ethical leadership and responsible citizenship across the country.