Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has urged employers to create supportive workplaces to reduce stigma against people with mental health conditions.
The Chief Justice made the appeal in a speech read on his behalf by Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah, a Supreme Court Judge, at this year’s World Mental Health Day celebration at the Court Complex in Accra.
The event, organised by the Greater Accra Regional Health Service and the Judicial Service of Ghana, was held on the theme: “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.”
The Chief Justice called for compassionate and accessible healthcare and institutional policies that prioritise mental well-being. He noted that stigma and fear of judgement or exclusion cause some people to conceal their struggles, and urged the public to listen to them without prejudice.
“We must listen with empathy; most importantly, we must let those experiences inform how we design policies, provide support, and respond to people going through difficult periods in their lives,” he said.
The Chief Justice indicated that the Judicial Service operated in a demanding environment, where exposure to conflict, trauma, loss, crime and family disputes could affect the mental well-being of staff.
“It is therefore important we recognise that mental well-being is not a peripheral matter; it is an essential part of a healthy, effective and human workplace. We must therefore create an institutional culture in which seeking help is not regarded as a weakness,” he said.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie emphasised that the well-being of judicial officers and staff is essential to an effective justice system, which requires people capable of discharging their duties with clarity, integrity and compassion. He noted that screening and mental health assessments could promote prevention, early recognition and timely intervention.
“As a society we must move from merely sympathising with people experiencing mental health challenges to creating systems of support,” he said.
The Chief Justice urged workplaces to sustain conversations on mental health, encourage colleagues to look out for one another and promote professional help-seeking.
The programme included screening for chronic medical conditions and mental health assessments.