Akufo-Addo justifies removal of Charlotte Osei, 2 others but says it was ‘painful’

President Nana Akufo-Addo has justified the removal of Mrs. Charlotte Osei and her two deputies from office, indicating that though the decision was a painful one, he had no choice but to act the manner he did.

Mrs. Osei and two of her deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwa, were on Thursday, June 28 removed from office as Commissioners of the Electoral Commission (EC) by Nana Akufo-Addo on grounds of “stated misbehaviour and incompetence”.

Their removal was on the back of recommendations from a committee set up by the Chief Justice to investigate the three on allegations brought against them by some staff of the Commission in July 2017.

Some Ghanaians and some members of the National Democratic Congress have accused the Akufo-Addo-led government hiding behind a petition to remove especially Mrs Osei who was appointed by John Mahama three years ago.

They grounded their claim on some utterances by key members of the New Patriotic government prior to their coming into office to the effect that they were going to ensure the removal of Mrs. Osei.

But President Akufo-Addo speaking to the Ghanaian community in Nouakchott, Mauritania justified his decision, indicating that he had no option but to act in accordance with the law.

“I don’t have the power to say I disagree with the Committee; the law does not give me the power to investigate on my own to say I disagree with the committee,” he told the gathering in Twi Saturday.

“The law says whatever recommendation the committee will present, I as the President, ought to obey and implement. That is why I removed madam Charlotte Osei and her two deputies from Office,” Akufo-Addo explained.

President Akufo-Addo who is a lawyer said Ghana is a country that believes in the rule of law and due process hence “We can’t look at somebody and say because of your beauty the law does not apply to you; that is not how the law works.”

He added, “The law is applicable to everyone in Ghana including me. If you do anything against the law, the law ought to be applied. It is painful but that’s what has happened”

Nana Akufo-Addo pleaded with Ghanaians to understand his decision irrespective of how sad and painful it is, adding “We should all understand that it is not because of hatred or because we just wanted ways to remove her from office”.



He said the petition was brought by workers of the Electoral Commission and not outsiders, and suggested his government cannot be blamed.

He said processes would soon begin to replace the three-sacked commissioners and called for support of all Ghanaians when the time comes.

“I urge Ghanaians to let understanding prevail in this matter so we look for new people who will come and work without any squabbles between them,” Nana Akufo-Addo pleaded.