Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has welcomed the dismissal of the embattled Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei, and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku.
According to the party, it is satisfied with the recommendation of the committee set up by the Chief Justice to investigate allegations of misconduct, incompetence and conflict of interest levelled against the three EC bosses.
In a press statement, the PPP commended the committee for its recommendation to fire the former EC boss and her two deputies, saying the independence and autonomy of the EC has been given a boost.
The statement noted that their dismissal would engender a degree of public confidence and put to rest the soiled image of the Commission, and the rot in which the EC Commissioners themselves told us they wallowed in.
The statement said: “We are satisfied that Chief Justice’s Committee has followed due process to sponge down the Electoral Commission of abuse of power, arrogance and complete disregard for public law and order. We thank the President for acting with urgency on the recommendations and applying the law without fear or favour.”
The PPP called on President Akufo-Addo to appoint Ghanaians of high integrity to the EC. It called for Ghanaians who would put the national interest first, and conduct their affairs in accordance with stated public policy and live above partisanship so that “our Electoral Commission will symbolise fair play, justice, selflessness, objectivity, transparency, accountability, honesty, independence, integrity and strong leadership.”
The statement added: “It is our expectation that public officers will remain committed, diligent, patriotic and revere the rule of law so that citizens do not gladly exercise their powers under the constitution to remove them from office. Our prayer is that this unfortunate and disgraceful spectacle should not befall anyone.”
The statement also called on the President to make the committee’s report public in accordance with the citizens right to information under Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution.
The party said its next line of action would include reporting Mrs. Osei to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for her immediate arrest based on facts it has gathered in its dealings with the EC.
Background
Mrs. Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku-Amankwah were on Thursday fired by the President upon the recommendation of a committee set up by the Chief Justice to investigate allegations of misconduct and incompetence pursuant to article 146.
The committee’s report indicated that the former EC boss blatantly breached procurement laws in the award of several contracts in her three-year period at the helm of affairs prior to the 2016 elections.
Excerpts of the committee’s report say the committee investigated six separate allegations of various procurement breaches for which prima facie case was established against Mrs. Charlotte Osei.
The report said, for all the six allegations, the committee found her culpable and her explanation that she was not aware that she needed to go through procurement for some of the contracts because the monies involved were from donor partners, is untenable.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak