President Mahama, Emelia Afi Agbenyo (L), Dr. Joseph Kweku Asamoah, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang and Jean Mensa
President John Mahama has sworn into office Dr. Joseph Kweku Asamoah, a former Director of Finance at the Electoral Commission (EC), and Emelia Afi Agbenyo, Deputy Director of Operations at the Ghana TVET Service, as Deputy Chairpersons of the EC.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Jubilee House yesterday, President Mahama urged the two Deputy Chairpersons of the EC not to be partial in the discharge of their duties to protect the integrity of the country’s electoral processes.
He called on the Commission to apply the same standards to all political parties, candidates and governments, adding that neither the President nor the ruling government should receive preferential treatment.
The President stated that public confidence in elections depended largely on the Commission’s integrity, competence and fairness and, therefore, advised the new Deputy Chairpersons to ensure that every eligible citizen participate in elections.
President Mahama also mentioned the need for sustained preparation for elections, including accurate record-keeping, well-trained electoral officials, reliable logistics and secure systems, stating that the use of technology should be supported by safeguards and clear public communication, while assuring the EC of government’s support to enable it carry out its mandate.
Dr. Asamoah
Dr. Joseph Kweku Asamoah, a law lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has more than 17 years of experience spanning public service, legal practice, academia and electoral governance.
He previously held several senior positions at the EC, including Director of Finance, Director of the Training Centre and Head of Audit. He also brings experience in the management of several major electoral exercises in Ghana.
Dr. Asamoah played an active role in the 2012 and 2016 general elections, 2010 and 2015 district-level elections, and the 2019 referendum on the creation of six new regions, as well as supervised electoral processes, strengthened financial control systems and developed training programmes for electoral officials.
Apart from his experience in electoral administration, Dr. Asamoah, who is a lawyer, chartered accountant and certified economist, also has expertise in finance, public policy and institutional management.
Dr. Asamoah is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana, and the Institute of Certified Economists, and holds a PhD in Political Economy and Diplomacy, where his doctoral research examined electoral administration and conflict resolution in Africa through a comparative study of Ghana and Kenya.
He also holds a Master of Laws in Commercial and Corporate Law from the United Kingdom, a postgraduate diploma in International Business Law, a master’s degree in Accounting and Finance, a Bachelor of Laws and a first-class Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.
Dr. Asamoah also holds a postgraduate diploma in Business Administration from the Institute of Commercial Management in the United Kingdom, with research interests in legal issues, public finance, electoral governance and democracy in Africa.
Madam Agbenyo’s experience and background include public administration, institutional leadership and development cooperation, gender and disability inclusion, among others.
The two appointments come amid recent changes in the EC’s senior leadership, following the resignation of the Deputy Chairperson in charge of Corporate Affairs, Dr. Bossman Asare in July and the retirement of Deputy Chairperson for Operations, Samuel Tettey.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah