The EC Chair and deputies will be removed regardless – Expert

Dr Richard Fiadomor, a governance expert, has endorsed the Constitution Review Committee’s (CRC) proposal to introduce fixed tenures and post-service restrictions for the leadership of the Electoral Commission (EC).

He noted that this move would prevent the politicization and manipulation by politicians to remove Commissioners who have security of tenure.

Dr Fiadomor cited the removal of former EC Commissioner Charlotte Osei as an example of a political action based on frivolous reasons.

During an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he predicted that the current Commissioner, Jean Adukwei Mensah, and her deputies would likely face a similar fate.

He explained that the EC has been compromised over the years by the two major political parties appointing their preferred individuals to oversee the office when they assume power.

The CRC’s proposal, according to Dr Fiadomor, would help address this challenge and shield the institution from undue influence.

The Committee has proposed an amendment to Article 223 of the 1992 Constitution, stipulating that the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners of the EC shall serve a single, non-renewable term of 10 years or until reaching the age of 65, whichever comes first.

Additionally, former Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners would be prohibited from holding any other public office for three years after leaving their positions.

“The situation where EC chairpersons were appointed and expected to be out of office after retirement was problematic, and that was why we saw the flimsy excuses given for the removal of Charlotte Osei.

"As we speak, there are petitions pending for the removal of the current EC chair and their deputies. I am not a prophet of doom, but they will go. With this system, every government that comes in has that period to stay in power and while exiting, they exit with the EC Chairs to prevent all these frivolous allegations from being remembered.

"Another benefit is that when there is an EC Chair who has some years before a new government takes over, the person may not get any form of renewal from the government, and they will think twice before taking any action in removing them.”