The seriously incriminating allegations and counter allegations made by the three EC bosses against themselves suggests to me that they are plagued with irreconcilable differences that makes it almost impossible for them to work together again. This would certainly have grave consequences for election administration in Ghana. Knowing this, we cannot sit unconcerned and sweep matters under the carpet as a nation.
The allegations of financial malfeasance, administrative lapses and other corrupting practices that suggests serious rot among the top echelons of the election management body, cannot be glossed over. Given the heightened interest in this matter, it may be palpably difficult for anyone guilty of these charges to keep his/her job
Ghana is a fledgeling democracy and we have always chosen the path of rule of law and due processes. In this regard, I commend the President for subjecting the decision to remove or not to remove, through due process of law.
I urge the NPP leaders to prevail upon the hawks within the party to be quiet in order not to further poison the political environment within which the due process is being carried out.
A bad thing is a good thing done at the wrong time. If the allegations are found to be true, and the punishment recommended is their removal from office, will the timing be right?
Following the appointment of the EC Boss, there were some top party functionaries of the NPP who openly said many unpalatable things about her, with some threatening to remove her from office when NPP wins power. Now that a process has been commenced against the EC Bosses, won’t this suggest in some minds that this is a scheme to carry out the threat issued when Charlotte was appointed?
I don’t believe what is happening is a simple scheme to carry out the threat issued. But if it is true, then we may be setting a bad precedent for ourselves as a nation in the sense that any new regime can find another EC boss guilty of any offence and also remove the person from office. No one is a saint and a police officer who really wants to arrest a taxi driver can always find a reason to arrest.
The polarized circumstances leading to the appointment of the current EC Boss, made her suffer huge legitimacy deficit. What helped her was the fact that the 2016 elections favoured the NPP. Again, the fact that President Akufo Addo has always had kind words about her in all his public utterances since his election has also been helpful in image building.
If the current circumstances lead to the appointment of a new EC Boss, for instance, public acceptance and legitimacy of the appointee may be low, just as it was when Charlotte was appointed.
We must strive to avoid situations where politicians would always have “good reasons” to determine who the referee should be in any election. Without tact and caution, we may plunge our nation into this quagmire.
The infantile and partisan argument of likening the removal of a CHRAJ Boss to that of the EC must cease. The NCCE, NMC, EC and CHRAJ are all independent constitutional bodies created by the 1992 constitution. But they are different bodies in terms of mandate and functions. Nations go to war more because of elections and less because of administrative injustices and corruption.
Now, should we gloss over the charges against the EC Bosses, even if they are true, simply because of the threat issued by some party functionaries when the NPP was in opposition? A thinklessly partisan person may simply say YES or NO depending on where the person stands on the political divide. But all well-meaning people who view issues of national interest without partisan lenses would appreciate the fact that this may be a difficult question to answer. If you have a serious quarrel with a very sick “okyena mewu” person and you tell him “tw3n na wo be hu” and he dies the next day, it may be difficult for you to go scot free. But this isn’t my answer. Indeed, for now, I don’t have any answer to the question I posed because of the serious dilemma it imposes. But I can proffer some recommendations which may be helpful. They are articulated as follows:
A. Those NPP bigwigs and their followers who poisoned the environment by their prior comments and threats must be quiet now and allow the due processes initiated to work. Unfortunately, some of them are still talking and defending the threats they issued. This is needless and must stop in order not to further politicize the process and deepen the polarization among the Ghanaian People.
B. The NDC people issuing threats of plunging the nation into chaos must desist from this bogus practice. The EC doesn’t belong to them and again, they need not create an impression as if the EC Bosses were appointed to do the bidding of their party.
C. As we grow our democracy, all politicians must be measured and circumspect about what they say, particularly when in opposition. They must learn to say what they ran and mean what they really say.
D. The probing/investigation processes must be respected by all. The processes must be expeditiously carried out but in an open, fair and transparent manner so that the final recommendation wouldn’t be difficult to accept by all.
E. If (AND ONLY IF) it becomes necessary for us to have new EC heads, I would respectfully urge the President to follow the constitutional provisions but also go beyond the provisions and ensure broader consultations among identifiable groups within the body politic in a manner that leads to the selection of very experienced and highly qualified people whose standing and stature in society transcends partisan politics. Plato refers to such people as the Philosopher Kings. They exist, can be found and must be found.
Many thanks and God bless.
Yaw Gyampo
Prabiw Street
A31, PAV Ansah Street
Source: myjoyonline
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My question is who appointed the committee members to handle this delicate case. It wasn't a politician that appointed the committee members. They were appointed by the chief justice - as the constitution stipulates. And she followed the formula for the appointment, ie, 2 SC justices,representation from the council of state etc. This is the same formula that was followed by the former SC justice when president mahama was president and the Chraj boss was impeached. The question you have to answer if your assertion of bias is to hold water is "Did Lauretta Vivian Lamptey get a fair hearing when she was put through the process?" If she did, then where lies your apprehension for Charlotte? Is Charlotte more human than Lauretta?
My question is who appointed the committee members to handle this delicate case. However if all appointment is made by politicians how will both parties be content with decision or outcome in them. Despite accusation and counter accusations from the same outfit. Recommendations from the able men will never hold water in some quarters definitely brethren. Our problem as a country is Politicians have being over empowered that ought to STOP. Mother Ghana have to strengthen it institutions well to handle matters of this kind without or less agitation from affected quarters. We in a Country where all police department can take decisions on their own but base on party in power. Let us rise for a positive change...
If even NPP said whatever before election 2016 and there haven't been any infighting,allegations and counter allegations amongst themselves,no one I repeat No one could have hauled them to where they are now. Small post then they turn themselves tin gods, please let the laws of the land work, fairness should be the hallmark, charlotte is not beautiful than Loretta. Thanks
You answered one of the 2 questions you posed. The second was. "Now, should we gloss over the charges against the EC Bosses, even if they are true, simply because of the threat issued by some party functionaries when the NPP was in opposition?" I don't think this lies in your bosom or anyone else's to determine. It is a simple answer. NO!!!! We should not gloss over the charges if they are true simply because this country is a civilized one, governed by laws. The moment, we begin to make exceptions to those laws, we might as well throw the constitution out the window. The law must be upheld each and every time no matter whose ox is gored. You are also wrong in saying because there are more wars as a result of electoral problems than there are because of corruption etc, we should not treat the EC boss the same as we treated the former Chraj boss. Again, we are governed by laws. NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW. If we feel the EC boss must be treated differently because of your reasons, let us change the law. Nobody can plunge the country into war because one wayward public servant breached the laws governing her duties. Animals have no laws, and even if they do, they don't obey them. That is why it is chaotic in the jungle. Let us live like human beings
Mr. Gyampo, you seem to be fuelling the speculations that it is the NPP trying to remove the EC bosses from office. I believe you might have heard that the initial petition was made by some staff of the Commission. Later, we were all witnesses to the accusations and counter accusations made by thee EC bosses against each other. What makes the EC different from NCCE, CHRAJ, NMC etc in the light of the law? Are you suggesting that because of the nature of their work they are not subject to the law? Please let us stop all such speculations and allow the law to take its own course.