Ghana’s Ruling Party Wants Electoral Commission Chairperson Sacked

The national Chairman of Ghana’s ruling party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called the sacking Jean Mensa, Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC).

Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has also called for some officials of EC to be sacked.

According to him, Madam Mensa and the other officers have mismanaged the Electoral Commission.

According to him, the current leadership of Ghana’s Electoral Commission is not competent enough to manage a credible election.

Ghana will go into its next presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2028. Madam Mensa was appointed Chairperson of the EC by former President Nana Akufo-Addo after then Chairperson of the Commission, Charlotte Osei was removed from office.

But Mr. Nketiah says “There has to be a change… The three top leadership must all go. They have managed the commission so badly.”

Speaking on Accra-based Joy News on Wednesday, June 25, he criticised the Commission’s handling of recent electoral matters, particularly the unresolved parliamentary election in Ablekuma North, which he described as symptomatic of deeper institutional failure.

According to him, “You cannot still be having an election that will go into a stalemate. There is no anticipation of any stalemate in our laws unless people don’t want to do their work well… It’s a clear case of negligence or inability to perform its functions.”

He cited the disenfranchisement of the SALL constituency in the 2020 general elections as the beginning of what he believes has been a consistent pattern of poor performance under the leadership of EC Chairperson Jean Mensa.

The NDC Chairman added that “Six months on after the election, and we still don’t have an elected MP. That must tell you something is wrong.”

“This commission, as presently constituted, took over the reins of the Electoral Commission, and they have never done a satisfactory election… First was SALL. A whole constituency went unrepresented for four years. Now, Ablekuma North. And the Ayawaso West by-election? Everything has been messed up,” he added.
Asiedu Nketia argued that the Electoral Commission needs to be fundamentally restructured to meet its constitutional mandate.

“Resetting the EC means bringing it back to an institution that is fit for purpose. The way it is existing now, it is not fit for purpose.”
He concluded with a stinging rebuke of the current administration’s continued support for the EC’s leadership:

“If in any serious country we want to maintain this type of Electoral Commission, then I don’t know what the country is about.”

Source:Africa Publicity