Jean Mensa and Charlotte Osei
The Electoral Commission (EC) has dumped the multi-coloured logo introduced by deposed chairperson, Charlotte Osei.
A memo dated December 4, 2018 and signed by Jean Adukwei Mensa titled, ‘Restoration of Original Logo of the Electoral Commission’ indicated that “effective from today, December 4, 2018, the original logo which bears the Coat of Arms and has a ballot box showing the hand casting it’s vote has been restored.”
The memo, which was sighted by DAILY GUIDE, explained that “the core values of the Electoral Commission, namely Integrity, Fairness and Accountability have from today also been restored.”
It, therefore, directed all commissioners to commence the usage of the logo in their communications.
“All communications from the Electoral Commission must from today be made on the letterhead bearing the original logo of the commission, as it appears on the face of this letterhead,” it said.
It further asked that the new logo should be removed from buildings and properties of the commission and subsequently replaced with the original one.
“Let the bells of Accountability, Fairness and Integrity ring throughout the Commission. May God bless us all. Thank you,” it stated.
The memo was sent to all commissioners, head office directors, regional directors, deputy regional directors, district electoral officers and sectional heads.
A Deputy Commissioner, Dr Bossman Asare, said the original logo communicates the functions of the EC.
“The old one we all know of, communicated the works and functions of the EC better than the new one introduced, and so it was necessary that we revert to the old logo,” he said.
Dr. Bossman Asare explained that all the seven commissioners at the EC unanimously agreed with the restoration of the original logo.
“We don’t have the intention that we want to undermine somebody or shame someone…we just want to engage in prudent use of the resources of the country,” he told Kwami Sefa Kayi of Peace Fm, an Accra-based radio station.
Ahead of the 2016 general election, the immediate-past chairperson introduced the multi-coloured logo amidst controversies.
It also emerged that the Charlotte Osei-led EC allegedly plagiarized the logo which belongs to a Turkish educational institution; sparking outrage in the country.
A cross-section of the public demanded explanation from the designers and EC which paid huge amounts of money for the logo.
However, the deposed chairperson, who mounted a spirited defence at the time, said “That is our new logo. We like it, we picked it, it makes us happy.”
She disclosed that she changed the logo and website as part of her five-year strategic plan to rebrand the Commission.
According to her, the iconic Coat of Arms signifies the authority of the state, so having it in the Commission’s logo undermines the independence of the EC.
Meanwhile, some political parties have welcomed the restoration of the old logo.
Nii Allotey Brew Hammond, Chairman of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) said, “We were not very happy with that logo. We believe that it did not represent the Electoral Commission; we were not consulted in the change of the logo. This morning, hearing about the news that this new Electoral Commission had reverted to the old logo is pleasing.”
He debunked reports that huge amounts of money would be used by the EC in the restoration of the original logo.
By Vincent Kubi