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Pressure mounts on Electoral Commission for full-scale investigation into chaos

By MyJoyOnline
Politics Pressure mounts on Electoral Commission for full-scale investigation into chaos
JUL 24, 2017 LISTEN

Pressure has been mounted on the Electoral Commission to be "comprehensively audited" following full-blown media battle between the chairperson, deputies and staff.

Vice-President at IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil said for years the EC has used its constitutional protection of its independence, to do "whatever they want".

Charlotte Osei, the second chair person of the 25-year-old commission is facing a mutiny from her staff who accuse her of managerial incompetence, doubtful political neutrality, and breaches of contracts and the Public Procurement Act.

Her detailed response rejecting the accusations has also roped in two other deputies, commissioner in charge of Operations, Amadu Sulley and Commissioner in charge of Corporate Services, Georgina Opoku Amankwah.

The concerned staff want her out and have triggered impeachment processes set out in the Constitution.

Charlotte Osei has also vowed to get her two deputies investigated for allegations, some bordering on crime.

The revelations have left the country stunned.
Adding to calls by veteran journalist, Kweku Baako for investigations, Kofi Bentil observed the implosion at the EC was just a matter of time.

He said Mrs. Charlotte Osei "very early on, started complaining" about the state of the commission after her appointment in June 2015.

The political activist and lawyer said the chair tried to use "unorthodox" methods to run the commission without her managers.

Bentil said the problem at the EC "is not a Charlotte Osei problem" but an accountability issue.

According to him, attempts to audit the accounts of the EC during the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led by John Agyekum Kufuor, was resisted. But Mr. Bentil argued, 'independence cannot mean, you cannot be audited'.

He expressed shock that a general election in Ghana could be priced at $900m by the Electoral Commission.

He wants every allegation made against the EC Chair as well as those made by the Chair, to be investigated.

The member of pressure group Occupy Ghana, warned, the Commission could lose focus and become "something else" if the issues are not resolved.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]

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