Presidents must seek parliamentary approval in appointing Electoral Commissioners – Obiri Boahen

Private legal practitioner, Nana Obiri Boahen has suggested a constitutional amendment that will compel Presidents to seek Parliamentary approval before the appointment of Electoral Commissioners.

“If we think there is something wrong with our constitution then we must consider another mode of appointing the Electoral Commissioner. It shouldn’t be President in consultation with the Council of State alone.

"It should be the president in consultation with the Council of State and two-thirds of MPs present.” Nana Obiri Boahen said this on Kumasi-based Wontumi radio monitored by MyNewsGH.com.

The comment by the former deputy Secretary of the NPP comes days after some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) including the Communications Director Mr Sammy Gyamfi alleged that Dr Peter Appiahene who was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo as an electoral commissioner, is a patron of the ruling party NPP and challenged his neutrality.

Lawyer Obiri Boahen also described the new Commissioner Dr Appiahene as a serious person, hard-working person and fair-minded person who qualifies in all aspects.

The lawyer also chided the leadership of the NDC for not doing enough to amend the constitution during their era because it is something he (Obiri Boahen) has been championing for.

“All those years the NDC was in power they didn’t make effort to amend, so there are serious issues people are not concerned with including our brothers in NDC when they were in power and even now”, he chided.

You can also watch this episode of People & Places here: