EC Petitioned To Sanction ‘Corrupt’ Official

Some Ghanaians have petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC) to investigate an official of the Commission who allegedly overcharged people for the replacement of Voters ID cards.

The petition, being spearheaded by Klarity web and Tiger Eye Foundation, seeks to put pressure EC to ensure that it deals with the unnamed official who was captured on video allegedly collecting about GHc30 from desperate Ghanaians who went her office to have their lost ID cards replaced.

In the video, the supposed EC official is seen telling someone who apparently wanted her lost card replaced that she’d have to pay GHc30 for the card to be delivered to her when it is ready.

Per the EC's regulations, persons seeking to have their cards replaced are supposed to pay GHc5 into the EC’s account at any GCB Bank branch and send the receipts to any of the Commission’s regional or district offices for a new ID card to be issued.

According to Klarity Web, the EC had promised to deal with the matter by January 24, 2018 but nothing has been heard from the Commission since then.

“We believe that corruption should be high risk and a low gain activity, and are happy that many Ghanaians are taking this stand against everyday corruption,” said Eliza Kücükaslan, CEO of Klarity in a statement copied citifmonline.com.

The petitioners believe that for far too long corrupt officials in the Commission have not been held accountable.

“The petition has been delivered to the EC Head of Communication. Klarity and Tiger Eye Foundation along with the over 500 signatories calling the Electoral Commission to get to the bottom of the case and share the outcome from their investigation with the public of Ghana,” Eliza Kücükaslan added.

The group also said the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has met the victim who paid the GHc30 for the ID card replacement and has decided to initiate its own case.

EOCO investigates EC
Meanwhile the Economic and Organized Crime Office [EOCO] is currently investigating some officials of the EC including Deputy Chairperson in charge of Corporate Services, Georgina Opoku Amankwah of any wrongdoing following a probe into a GHc480,000 believed to have gone missing from the EC's Senior Staff Endowment Fund.

Three officials were subsequently asked to proceed on leave to enable EOCO investigate the issue.