US Ambassador to Ghana praises Charlotte Osei

The Ambassador of the United States to Ghana Robert P. Jackson has broken his silence on the removal from office of Electoral Commission Boss, Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, MyNewsGH.com can report.

He was speaking with Rasheeda Adams on Culinary Diplomacy a program that “uses food as an instrument to create cross-cultural understanding between nations”. On the program, top diplomats appear to chit-chat while they cook food indigenous to their various countries on set, often with their spouses.

The US Ambassador, who appeared on Culinary spoke to Rasheeda in the presence of his spouse together with whom he cooked a sumptuous US dish.

Commenting on the work of the electoral commission, he said his heart goes out to Charlotte Osei and her team whom he says did a fantastic job in the 2016 election.

According to him, what he saw play out in the 2016 elections in Ghana remains the best he has seen throughout Africa his service in Africa, encouraging Ghanaians to be proud of the maturity of their democracy, commending Charlotte Osei for a good job done.

“The process was the most transparent I have ever seen in any African election… and I think Ghanaians should be very proud of the maturity of their democracy … My HEARTS is really out to Charlotte Osei and her team at the Electoral Commission, they did a fantastic job from beginning to end”, the Ambassador said.

He expressed the hope that lessons have been learnt.

The US Government in 2017 presented the Woman of Courage Award to embattled Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei as MyNewsGH.com reported. The US Embassy in Accra presented the award to Ms Osei at a time investigations into allegations of procurement breaches began.

Ms. Osei has been accused by her two deputies at the EC of abusing her office and misapplying the Commission’s funds. This was followed by a petition which has now led to her removal by President Akufo-Addo.

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson, in a speech to present the award on Tuesday August 22, 2017, described Ms. Osei as “a woman who epitomizes courage.”

The EC boss pointed out that she was overwhelmed by the honour done her, noting that the success of the 2016 elections cannot be attributed to the effort of one person.

Background

President Akufo-Addo removed the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa from office.

This comes after a committee set up by the Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, pursuant to Article 146(4) of the Constitution, to investigate separate complaints brought against the three persons by Ghanaian citizens, recommended their removal from office.

The Committee recommended their removal on the basis of stated misbehavior and incompetence, pursuant to Article 146 (1) of the Constitution.

A statement by a Minister for Information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid on Thursday, said the President had directed the three persons to hand over their respective schedules to the Director of Human Resources at the Commission, while thanking them for their service to the country.