CDD‑Ghana Urges President Mahama to Advise EC Deputy Chair to Step Down

The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD‑Ghana) has called for the resignation of Electoral Commission (EC) Deputy Chairperson Emelia Afi Agbenyo, urging President John Dramani Mahama to advise her to step down amid concerns over her alleged affiliation with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

CDD‑Ghana’s Programmes Manager, Paul Aborampah Mensah, made the call during an interview on Eyewitness News on Friday, October 16, arguing that unresolved concerns about political ties could weaken public trust in Ghana’s electoral management system.

“What we are demanding now is that perhaps the President did not recognise the impact of the appointment he was making. Now that it has been realised publicly, he can advise the lady to resign, or the lady, on moral grounds, can herself resign,” Mr Mensah said.

He stressed the importance of safeguarding the independence of state institutions, warning against a pattern where changes in government routinely influence the leadership and operations of key national bodies.

“We don’t want a situation where after every change of government our institutions are affected. That’s what we need to avoid as a country,” he added.

Mr Mensah cautioned that continued politicisation of electoral management could have serious consequences for Ghana’s democratic processes.

“If we are not careful and continue that way, it will get to a point that we’ll be sorry for the kind of people who have been managing our elections,” he said.

The concerns follow the swearing‑in of Mrs Agbenyo and Dr Joseph Kweku Asamoah as Deputy Chairpersons of the Electoral Commission by President Mahama on October 12.

Questions have since been raised about Mrs Agbenyo’s alleged affiliation with the NDC, with critics arguing that it conflicts with the constitutional requirement for the Commission to operate impartially.

At the swearing‑in ceremony, however, President Mahama urged the newly appointed deputy chairpersons to uphold impartiality and protect the right of Ghanaians to freely choose their leaders.

— CitiNewsRoom