EC meets despite court injunction

Some officials of the Electoral Commission of Ghana held a meeting Saturday morning despite a court injunction directing a halt of a planned workshop by same.

The injunction followed an action by the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram. Sam George secured an injunction against the EC’s decision to hold a workshop at the City Escape Hotel from April 24 to 29, in his Constituency.

The meeting was to be held in three different batches in order to observe the social distancing protocols. The ex-parte injunction was granted by the Tema High Court.

Some less than 20 officials of the commission, however, met at the said location on the morning of Saturday, April 25, 2020, for a meeting.

The premises of the hotel was filled with some government vehicles. Police who later arrived at the location after reports from some NDC members who visited the place confirmed that some officials from the EC were indeed in the hotel.

They, however, maintained that it wasn’t a formal meeting, but a meeting at the lobby of the hotel.

“We met some officials at the lobby and we’ve spoken to them. We did not see any formal meeting going on but we met some officials at the lobby. Less than 20 officials. We have advised that following their complaint, they should go back to the airport police, see the district commander and follow formalities,” Greater Accra Operations Commander of the Police Service, Chief Supt. Kwesi Ofori told the news team.

Sam George who thronged the location together with other members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) expressed disappointment at the move.

According to him, it connotes illegality and irresponsibility on the part of the EC officials. He further alleged that the commission’s heads acted with approval from the presidency.



"The law for the gathering of 25 is specific to private burials, not even funerals, and so unless what is going on here at the City Escape Hotel is a private burial, what is going on in there is an illegality that has been established by a competent court of jurisdiction in this country.” He said.

Adding, “the EC is doing what they are because they have the tacit approval of the Flagstaff House. President Akufo-Addo is endorsing the illegality and irresponsibility of the EC and this is a man who claims to be a towing of the rule of law, what happened to the rule of law? Jean Mensa cannot do what she is doing if the Flagstaff House does not approve of her actions.”