Ghana’s electoral commission has been admired all over the world especially in Africa. It has successfully organized many elections without major challenges since 1992, but that credibility is coming under some scrutiny now.
Some individuals have petitioned Ghana’s president, Akufo Addo for the removal of the commission’s chairperson, Charlotte Osei.
In that petition some individuals accused the EC boss of breaching public procurement regulations, and disregarding administrative procedures in her management of the electoral body among others.
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The director of communications at Ghana’s presidency Eugene Arhin in explaining what happens to such a petition said “When such a matter is brought before the President, the President has no choice but to forward the petition to the chief justice who would if she decides there is a Prima facie case against the chairperson of the electoral commission, she is supposed to form a committee who also look into the matter, make recommendations to her and subsequently the chief justice forwards those recommendations to the President for action.”
Once recommendations have been made and forwarded to the President, he is bound to enforce them, either to keep the EC chair or sack her. Charlotte Osei through her lawyers denied all the allegations and described them as politically motivated.
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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said that the latest move to get the EC boss out is masterminded by the government and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
A leading member of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo warned that his party will resist attempts to dismantle the leadership of the commission.
“Every indication is that there is a long arm of NPP in the petition that has been written. They have done it to several other heads of institutions before during and after Charlotte Osei was appointed. NPP leading members, do back and read the statements that they made. We are just sending the signal that it is dangerous for the future of this country if the NPP dare to do what they are doing.” Ampofo said.
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The government has denied the claims describing them as political and attempt to rope the president into the controversy. Eugene Arhin said “We have made it clear that the president has no interest what so ever in who is or who is not the chairperson of the electoral commission. Since 2008 he (President) stood for elections three times and on the three occasions he has had two separate electoral commissioners at the helm of affairs. So he has no issues or so ever contrary to what some people want Ghanaians to believe.”
Meanwhile another petition has been sent to the president asking for two other commissioners, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwah who are at loggerheads with the EC boss to be sacked as well.
This petition has also been sent to the country’s Chief Justice for action. The leader of business in Ghana’s parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu was worried about the entire crisis at the commission and said urgent action was needed to save the image of that outfit.
“When we came to fashioning the budget for the EC, I made this point on the floor, I saw the signals, so I said then in March that we should have a way to resolve the impasse, otherwise it could blow up. This is what we are witnessing. As we speak now there are matters that they should be doing which they have not initially anything steps to do because of what is happening there,” Mensah Bonsu added.
While the process to shake-up the country’s election management body continues, ordinary Ghanaians fear the body’s image and credibility will be battered eventually.
One Ghanaian said “The image of the EC is being battered to some extent, this is an institution that we were thinking that they are trust worthy but now we are looking at issues to do with corruption.”
“They are the referees of our elections, and when there are issues like these it simply means they can’t be trusted. We can’t trust them anymore with what is going on,” another Ghanaian said
Ghanaians now await the ongoing processes as many analysts watch closely how it will end. It will be another testing moment for Ghana’s democratic credentials.
Source: Africafeeds.com / Isaac Kaledzi
