EC boss must resign - Professor Asare

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana is not learning from past experiences with regards to errors it had made in elections at all levels, Professor Kweku Asare, a U.S.-based Ghanaian Professor has said.

According to him, the rate at which the election management body has been engaged in controversies over election-related matters is a clear indication that no lessons have been learnt.

His comment follows an order given by the Supreme Court of Ghana to the EC to allow all disqualified flag bearers to make corrections on their nomination forms for which reason they were disqualified ahead of the 7 December elections.

The apex court on Monday, 7 November also ordered the EC to extend the nomination period for flag bearers to Tuesday, 8 November.

It further ordered all High Courts to suspend any case before them in connection with the disqualification of other flag bearers.

Speaking in connection with the Supreme Court ruling in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Tuesday November 8, Prof Asare said: “In 2015, when Ghanaians were preparing for the District Assembly elections, the EC made a mistake and was accordingly sued in the Supreme Court by Ayi Mensah because Mr Mensah felt he was unlawfully disqualified. Because of that case the entire election was cancelled by the Supreme Court and the nation lost GHS300million and so one would have thought that Charlotte Osei, (Chair of the EC) would learn from such experience and similar other ones and not make such mistakes.”

“All these problems have come about either because the EC does not understand its own laws or simply does not want to implement those laws.

“Such simple issues that we are not supposed to fight over are happening at the EC under Charlotte Osei’s watch. If it were to be elsewhere, she would have resigned by now.”