President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was bound by recommendations by the five member committee set up by the Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo to remove Mrs Charlotte Osei from office as Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) private legal practitioner Samson Lardy Anyenini has said.
Her two deputies: Georgina Opoku Amankwah and Amadu Sulley, were also removed from office by the president with immediate effect on Thursday, 28 June 2018.
A committee set up to investigate separate complaints brought against the three persons by Ghanaian citizens, recommended their removal.
Reacting to this development, Mr Anyenini in a Facebook post explained that Nana Akufo-Addo is bound by the recommendations of the committee.
The post read: “PRESIDENT IS BOUND BY RECOMMENDATIONS - In the Ms. Lamptey case, lawyers for Petitioner and Respondent were directed by the panel to submit written addresses after the hearing which travelled seven months despite the fact that at least two days were dedicated to ensure speedy conclusion, and the chairman insisted on fidelity to those days. We were supplied with certified copies of the record of proceedings for the purposes of the addresses. We each analyzed the evidence and made references to the relevant laws and authorities to make a case for our clients.
“The panel eventually submitted its report to the CJ and she forwarded same to the President. The President then issued the letter communicating the recommendation of her dismissal in November 2015. The report is submitted to the CJ because it is the CJ who sets up the committee. President, like the CJ, is bound by the recommendations and cannot alter anything in the report or act contrary to same. The wisdom in keeping the President in the picture from commencement to completion is to afford him (the appointing authority) the opportunity of knowing what is happening to his/her appointee, and also to perform the ceremony of issuing the letter of dismissal.”
The committee was set up in 2017 after some staff of the EC petitioned Nana Akufo-Addo to remove Mrs Osei from office over allegations of fraud and financial malfeasance as well as abuse of office.
Mrs Osei also counter-alleged corruption against his deputies insisting that she has done nothing wrong and only being hounded out because she is fighting internal graft.
The president, in accordance with the constitution, forwarded the petition to the Chief Justice to look into the matter.
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Massa stop what you're saying ,She was strong for who?We told Mahama if he likes let him appoint his wife and brother as E.C but NPP will still win the election.Charlotte was Pompos and does not RESPECT ANYBODY.For Amadu Sulley he was bought for A very Long time during AFARI GYAN'S Period but he never learn.GOD IS SUPERIOR so what ever we do we must be careful.Elections will OME & ELECTIONS WILL GO but GHANA will remain.I believe if there is any financial Malfeasance then those who are found guilty must be PROSECUTED to serve as a DETERRENT to others who are misbehaving in their offices."MRS RAWLINGS COLLECT YOUR STONE"Now Charlotte is UNEMPLOYED"Next time you will RESPECT
Let me here, very suitably, borrow the popular phrase of Ex-President Mahama, to wit ' I can't think far' to expose NDC of a baseless biased allegation against NPP in implicating same in the removal of the 3 commissioners. Indeed, the 3 commissioners who petitioned the CJ to take action as per the report of the committee set by the CJ thereupon, to deliberate on the prima facie case as established by the CJ against the three, were appointed by the NDC. Invariably, I wished I could not think far to establish the tenability of the NDC's allegation against the NPP in this regard. Asem s€ b€!
Is Mrs Osei putting money in ur pocket? well not all of us I think she has no case blaming anyone but herself, "absolute Power corrupt absolutely". The Law is supreme all those who embolden her have deceived her big time no demonstration shall bring her back.
So removing the EC boss will make Ghana progress. It looks like the only wise people in Ghana are NPP members. You think we are practicing democracy so things can't get ***barred word***.
Looks like some of you don't want to see this country progress. Be that as it may, you are entitled to your opinion and may seek recourse in court. That is why we are a democracy and not a dictatorship. Go to court and let the laws of this land determine. Looks like we want the nation to be governed on social media.
Yes, assuming without admitting that the NPP had an agenda to remove her, is it the NPP that advised or forced her to take all those actions that have eventually brought her such gargantuan shame??The Akans say "s3 oy3fo se ob3y3 w'oa, da wo'ho so", to wit loosely, "if the enemy threatens you, you better strengthen your defenses". Instead of doing right things, she sat there whining, "the EC is an indepedent body", she should have taken a cue from how Her Ladyship Georgina Woode resolutedly defended her intergrity and position when besieged by the hawks in the NDC a few years ago. She should blame herself but nobody.