CJ Committee recommendations against EC boss harsh – Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has described the recommendations of the Chief Justice’s Committee against the former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) Charlotte Osei, as harsh.

President Akufo Addo sacked Mrs Osei on Thursday after she was found among other things to have breached procurement processes in awarding of contract to Dream Oval and engaging the legal services of law firm, Sory@ Law.

But speaking on News File, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako stated that he does not believe that a breach of the Procurement Act by Charlotte Ossi as concluded by the Committee can be a basis to sack her from office.

“As far as I’m concerned I don’t think there was seriously speaking a violation of the Public Procurement Law. I think there’s been a strict interpretation of the Public Procurement Law, a very hard strict, harsh way. Also Sory@Law, it was case by case. The Commissioners who testified against Charlotte on behalf of the petitioners who didn’t have much know knowledge their view was that there was no formal contract. We didn’t have a meeting where we appointed Sory@ Law, but significantly, the same Commissioners went to court each occasion with Sory@ Law to deal with the cases. The invoices that Sory@Law presented, some of these Commissioners minuted on them in terms of the payment, I’m saying that it’s such a harsh and hard decision to take if you look at the context.

“…Dream Oval, I read the testimonies delivered by the Head of Donor Desk Unit of the EC, again, through out the existence of this EC, the arguments Charlotte them made, those funds are not public funds. I’m inclined to believe the testimony of the gentleman who testified on behalf of the EC Boss.”

Abdul Malik Kweku Baako also accused one of the Commissioners, Mrs Pauline Adobea Dadzawa including the two sacked Deputy Chairpersons of conspiring to get Mrs Charlotte Osei removed from office.

“This whole thing was a conspiracy, that is how it begun among the members of the Commission. Four members of the Commission Paulina Dadzawa, Aggrey Fynn, Amankwah and Amadu Sulley, they plotted it. But interestingly, the whole was too big so they all entered in. In entering it, they dragged Charlotte along. A tape recorder was presented to the Committee, I’ve searched through the Committee’s report I don’t see any reference. Pauline herself when she appeared decline not to comment on it, meanwhile that tape was accepted.”