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Charlotte’s Overtures

By Daily Guide
Editorial Charlottes Overtures
AUG 24, 2016 LISTEN

The chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) appears to have opened a new chapter in her relations with the media and therefore Ghanaians which we find laudable.

Yesterday she hosted a cross-section of news editors, and as it were, flung open the lid over the Commission and its new approach to polls management, especially the forthcoming one which she says she intends making a world-class process.

She definitely needs to bring all Ghanaians, especially the media onboard for the journey towards the promised land of credible polls devoid of skeletons in the cupboard as it were.

And what better way to expedite the journey than periodic interactions and above all transparency and fairness in the management of the polls. Anything short of this can spell doom not for the EC but the country as a whole. We can avoid Armageddon by joining hands with the EC to ensure that the outcome of the elections is pure and credible. The role of the EC Chairman towards achieving this goal is critical and cannot be overlooked.

At a time when the Commission has suffered arguably the worst media bashing in its history, her action in changing the election management as she promised yesterday was in the right direction provided the visible sincerity which she and her commissioners and staff exuded was sincere and really bereft of pretentiousness.

We can only wait and see, especially, since we are close to putting her words to hard scrutiny. Should she fail this test the fallouts would be too dire to conjecture. She has opened her arms to invite the media to join her in accomplishing her mission. We cannot turn down her invitation. But in such endeavours, mutual trust is very critical which she knows too well. It is in the light of this that we advise that she should not go back to her old ways of seeming hubris and snobbishness.

The haughtiness which characterized the initial days of her tenure appears to have given way to a new Mrs. Charlotte Osei which we cannot deny plaudits.

As things stand now, if she carries out the reforms to enhance transparency and steer away from arbitrariness, we have no doubt in our mind that she could chalk success.

Charlotte and the EC she leads must prove doubting Thomases wrong, a feat they can achieve if they so desire. Many Ghanaians do not have confidence in the Commission. Charlotte cannot ignore the sentiments of Ghanaians whom she is working for, anyway.

We are excited about the novelties she claims to have introduced especially, the engagement of lawyers and accountants in the collation exercise, not forgetting persons with higher education.

She has raised the level of polling on paper; it is left to be seen how the novelties pan out on the ground on Election Day and the application of the critical transparency required during collation and the final declaration of the winner.

We are watching and would not hesitate to descend heavily on her should she disappoint us deliberately.

We can only wish her Godspeed if her actions are underpinned by sincerity and the fear of God.

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