PPP Supports Probe Into EC Murky Affairs

The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has commended the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, for initiating a probe into internal wrangling between the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei and two of her deputies.

Justice Akuffo initiated what many say is a possible impeachment process when she empanelled a five-member committee last month to look into the alleged abuse of power and corruption scandal that has rocked the Commission.

The inquisitorial committee, whose members are yet to be made public, is expected to investigate Mrs Osei, together with her two deputies, Georgina Opoku-Amankwa, who is in-charge of Corporate Services, and Amadu Sulley, in charge of Operations as prescribed under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

The committee wil begin sitting soon.
The EC was thrown into turmoil last July after some unnamed staff petitioned President Akufo-Addo to trigger an impeachment processes.

The accusation included funnelling of GH¢3.9 million to partition an office, the receipt of a Toyota Land Cruiser from the Mahama government, the expenditure of about $14 million when the Public Procurement Authority had authorised her to use only $7.5 million.

In a release Tuesday, December 13, the PPP National Secretary, Murtala Mohammed said the party is hopeful that the Committee will not ignore the public acknowledgement by Mrs Charlotte Osei, and her complicity in gross violations of procurement laws and articles of her engagement.

“The PPP shall support every effort to cleanse our public institutions of arrogance, abuse of power and complete disregard for public law and order,” the statement said.

The party adds: “We wish to offer, if given the chance at this Committee, for our party, the Progressive Peoples Party to join this case and present evidence against the Electoral Commission of Ghana.”

Read the full PPP statement below.
PPP TO PRESENT EVIDENCE AT CHIEF JUSTICE COMMITTEE
The Progressive Peoples Party wishes to congratulate the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Sophia Abena Boafowaa Akuffo for setting up a five-member committee, to investigate the corruption allegations against the Electoral Commission Chairperson, and her two deputies, in accordance with article 146 (4)(5) of the 1992 Constitution.

We are confident that the committee appointed by the Chief Justice shall work with diligence and a sense of urgency in investigating all the complaints brought before it, to put to rest, the soiled image of the Commission, and the rot in which the EC Commissioners themselves have told us they now wallow in.

We are quite hopeful that the Committee will not ignore the public acknowledgement by Mrs Charlotte Osei, and her complicity in gross violations of our procurement laws and articles of her engagement.

The PPP shall support every effort to cleanse our public institutions of arrogance, abuse of power and complete disregard for public law and order.

We thank the President for acting swiftly on what the Constitution allows in matters relating to such petitions and ensuring that it is applied without fear or favour.

We wish to offer, if given the chance at this Committee, for our party, the Progressive Peoples Party to join this case and present evidence against the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

As a lawful party, our shared responsibility is to educate Ghanaians on why our democracy takes place in a framework of a Presidential representative democratic republic, with the President as both head of state and head of government, and with multi-party democracy as our accepted form of democracy.

We shall continue contributing constructively to the development and improvement of Ghana by defending the existence of legally approved political parties as the most effective way towards progress in our nation.

Signed,
Murtala Mohammed
National Secretary
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