Former UN Senior Governance Advisor, Prof. Baffuor Agyeman-Duah, has raised concerns about the recurring trend of replacing Electoral Commission (EC) heads whenever a new government assumes office in Ghana.
He highlighted this issue as a serious threat to the country’s democratic stability, citing examples such as the removal of Charlotte Osei after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) came into power following the 2016 election.
This practice has taken on new significance, as the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which initially opposed Osei’s removal, has now threatened to replace the current EC Chair if they win the 2024 elections.
This cycle of dismissing EC officials with each change of government is deeply worrying, according to Prof. Agyeman-Duah. Speaking at the Ghana Speaks High-Level Forum 2024, organized by IDEG, the co-founder of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) described this practice as “dangerous.”
He warned that frequent changes to the leadership of the EC undermine the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process and pose risks to good governance.
Prof. Agyeman-Duah stressed that maintaining continuity and impartiality within the Electoral Commission is essential for upholding public confidence in elections.
He urged Ghana’s political parties to move away from this trend and instead draw inspiration from Western democracies, where EC leadership transitions are less politicized and have proven effective in preserving the stability of the electoral system.
“The suspicion is always there, I don’t know why, but because they are appointed by the president, it’s difficult for the political parties to accept that this is a neutral body. I hope we nip it in the bud, but this new culture of a president comes, doesn’t like the previous chairperson of the Electoral Commission, so I appointed my own.
“I don’t know who is going to win the elections but suppose John Mahama becomes president again, my good friend Jean Mensa will not be there. They have already said that ‘when we come we will also change you’.
“After all, it’s so easy to change, one petition from a person to the president, onward to the chief justice, they constitute the panel, and you are gone. Is that not so? And that is dangerous.
“That is the system and I’m saying we need to review the system. The president doesn’t have to appoint. In other countries and other democracies, electoral officers or bodies are appointed differently, we can learn.”
Source: www.kumasimail.com
