Akufo-Addo throws out petition to dismiss Jean Mensa

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has dismissed a petition to remove Jean Mensa as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).

Civil society organisation, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), petitioned the President to remove Jean Mensa after securing a declaration from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that the EC boss failed to declare her assets on assumption of office in 2018.

According to CHRAJ, it found during its investigations that although the EC boss did not declare her assets early, she took remedial steps to do so when it was brought to her attention.

Jean Mensa filed her assets declaration forms with the Auditor-General on February 17, 2020, CHRAJ disclosed and only cautioned her against repeating the Constitutional breach.

However, not satisfied, ASEPA's Executive Director, Mensah Thompson, petitioned the President over the matter asked for Jean Mensa’s removal.

After months of no response from the Presidency, according to Mr Thompson, he has received a statement signed by the Secretary to President Nana Asante Bediatuo, indicating that Chief Justice did not establish any adverse evidence of a legal breach against the head of the EC.

“The Chief Justice did not find any statute that criminalises the non-declaration of assets within the stipulated time in the Constitution,” the statement dated July 27, 2020, explained.

“In any event, CHRAJ did not make any adverse findings against the Chairperson as the investigation was terminated and the complaint dismissed after the Chairperson declared her assets on 17th February 2020,” the statement added.

Read the full statement from the Presidency below.