Jean Mensa
The Electoral Commission (EC) has chided the President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, accusing him of peddling falsehood and untruth about the Commission and its activities at every point and turn.
According to the EC, it has received an audio circulating on social media in which the President of IMANI accuses the Commission of disenfranchising the people of Santrokofi, Apkafu, Lolobi and Lipke (SALL).
It noted Franklin Cudjoe’s claim that the Commission disenfranchised the SALL people, now known as the Guan Constituency, is patently false.
“We wish to state categorically that his accusations are false and without basis. We urge the public to verify information put out by IMANI with the Commission for the truth and the facts,” the EC said in a statement.
The statement, signed by the Acting Director of Public Affairs, Michael Boadu, added, “It is unfortunate that IMANI continues to peddle falsehood and untruths about the Commission at every point and turn.”
Explanation
The Commission denied ever disenfranchising the inhabitants of the newly created Guan Constituency, noting that it is not in its interests to do so.
The statement explained that the Legislative Instrument (L. I. 2416) which created the Guan District (SALL) was laid in Parliament on October 6, 2020 by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD).
This instrument matured on November 9, 2020, roughly a month to the 2020 general election, which same day Parliament went on recess.
According to the statement, the House returned on December 14, 2020, one week after the 2020 general election.
The EC stated that on November 10, 2020, it received a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development informing it of the creation of the Guan District (SALL).
“The letter requested the Commission to take steps to create a new Constituency.
“The Commission drafted a new Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) to bring into force the Guan Constituency and forwarded the draft C.I. to the Attorney General’s Department for its review on the 13th of November, 2020 as required by law,” it indicated.
According to the statement, for a C.I. to mature and come into force, the Electoral Commission must lay it before Parliament for twenty-one (21) sitting days.
“This means that Parliament should be in session during the twenty-one (21) day period when the C.I. is laid,” it posited.
The statement went on to say that because Parliament was in recess, the Commission was unable to lay the C.I. to bring the Guan Constituency into force as required by law.
“The question is, how could the Commission proceed to create a new Constituency when Parliament was in recess and when the law required the Commission to lay the C.I. before Parliament for twenty-one (21) sitting days?” the EC quizzed.
“How can any well-meaning person accuse the Commission of disenfranchising the good people of SALL when the facts are so clear?” it questioned further, adding that it is sad that IMANI continues to spread falsehoods and misinformation about the Commission at every turn.
By Ernest Kofi Adu