The Electoral Commissioner Should Not Be Appointed By The President

With reference to the article 70 of 1992 Republican constitution, the president is vested with power and authority to make so many appointments... I don't oppose this constitutional provision........

As a political scientist, based on critical analytical approach towards in-depth observation politically I think I have an objection and an immediate reconsideration and amendment of such a provision I am yet to elaborate will be very politically and democratically indispensable and sound.

In multiparty democracies political parties are the only associations and organizations who possess political ideology, objectives and have a directed behaviour toward vote seeking, office seeking and policy seeking.. when political parties win elections they form government......

In Ghana every four years we vote... We decide whether to renew the contract of government in incumbency or choose other political party... PROPER SUPERVISION, POLITICAL NEUTRALITY, NON POLITICAL AFFILIATION ARE THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE REFEREE WHO OFFICIATES ELECTORAL PROCESSES.....

Due to indirect democracy the people of Ghana elect candidates to represent them in Parliament... They make sure that they translate our aggregated interest and views and ensure the welbeing of the ordinary ghanaian.... Also it is the people who are supposed to choose the person to officiate and be a witness to the social contract..... As said earlier due to indirect democracy members of Parliament represent the ordinary ghanaian......

The president even though he is the head of the country still has political colours attached to him.. I believe all the past presidents of Ghana didn't ascend the throne independently but sat in the vehicle of a party that drove them to their destinations to the higher offices .

Generally, skeptisms and speculations arise when a president appoints the electoral commissioner... the point is that the party in government does the appointment so definitely the one appointed is politicallly affiliated... also based on clientelistic approaches and the big man syndrome politics, sometimes they say these offices are given to some people due to their contribution towards the party ( neopatrimonial politics) and other partisan factors.... However someone may say that based on the provisions the council of state has influence in this appointment so there is always a proper decision..... To raise an objection ..the council of state with all due respect are not. our representatives. if we follow the democratic order the people are represented by members of parliament and thus speak for us in government... We have entrusted our powers, our responsibilities to them ,so that they manage our country on our behalf...... so if we need a referee to officiate our electoral process indirectly the Parliament should elect the electoral commissioner....

Political parties attribute their failure to capture political power to the political affiliation and the Ill neutrality of the electoral commissioner, thus people attribute rigging if elections to.the combining efforts. Of the incumbent power and the commissioner.... THE 2012 ELECTION WAS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF SUCH A SITUATION AS SAID BY MAJOR OBSERVERS... normally if a person is appointed by a powerful entity that persons becomes answerable and subservient to that authority.... AS A MATTER OF FACT THE ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER SHOULD BE ANSWERABLE TO GHANAIANS NOT THE PRESIDENT..... so his appointment should be made by the people of Ghana.... And thus PARLIAMENT as a matter of fact... 2/3 majority of parliament should help elect the electoral commissioner....

People normally lay invectives towards and thus the politics of insults become the order of the day, because people normally speculate that because of the political affiliation of the commissioners the election is never free and fair....

I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE ELECTORAL COMMISIONER SHOULD BE ANSWERABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF GHANA AND THUS SHOULD BE ELECTED BY 2/3 MAJORITY OF PARLIAMENT............

I HOPE MRS CHARLOTTE OSEI, PERFORMS HER DUTY BY NOT BEING AN APENDAGE TO THE ONE WHO APPOINTED HER, BUT WORKS ACCORDING TO THE CONDITIONS OF POLITICAL NEUTRALITY AND THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY.......

OWUSU NSIAH ISAAC
POLITICAL SCIENCE, FINAL YEAR.... KNUST