Suspension of EC steering committee not enough- CENAB UK

CENAB UK, a pro-Ghanaian advocacy group, are calling on the EC to completely dissolve its 18-member election steering committee, as its suspension is not enough. The group believes the continual existence of the committee, suspended or not will be inimical to Ghana’s electoral credibility and needs to be dissolved and the EC estopped from setting up of any intermediary committees in the future.

In the first week of January this year, CENAB UK published a statement on what we saw then as preparatory work by the Electoral Commission, to plunge Ghana into confusion and chaos in the November 2016 general and Presidential elections. This time, there is even more to reveal, particularly, the Electoral Commissioner's determination to condone and connive in perpetrating electoral fraud in favour of the ruling Party in government. This is evidenced on the politically induced incentives to compromise electoral resource and perhaps doing so illegally.

We are convinced about the above premonition, and have a deep sense of foreboding, by reason of the thought to form an electoral steering committee, the membership of which was clandestinely cobbled together under the cover of darkness without recourse to the appropriate consultative protocol procedure of involving the IPAC or indeed anyone for that matter.

By this action, Ms Charlotte Osei, the Electoral Commissioner, is clearly exhibiting herself, not only as a novice, but her disrespect of public sentiments, coupled with her dearth of knowledge on the job, her lack of ideas, and indeed her lack of competence. She is rather trying desperately to create an impression that she has what she doesn't have to do the job or indeed trying desperately to keep to the “brief” for which she was brought in the job. Charlotte Osei feels an extreme sense of complex and diffidence. She is trying in desperation, to carve a sort of proactive niche of ego for, and around herself, purportedly to impress that she has the acumen required for her position, but it is all "much a-do about nothing," and rather, by so doing, Ms Osei is being oblivious to exposing her extreme sense of prejudices and biases, as well as her unflinching allegiance to the NDC, and John Mahamah, as a President, whom she is duty bound to serve, but not the interest of Ghana.

Charlotte Osei’s electoral steering committee, the membership personae of which clearly indicates not just an unnecessary accretion to an existing staff of the institution, but a drafting and formation of a solely NDC conglomerate as the functional and decision making bodies of the EC, to be chaired by herself.

We, members of CENAB UK, would want to know what criteria of functions that a steering committee is going to be engaged to play, that has not already been catered for in the institution of the Electoral Commission and the electoral bills currently being deliberated by parliament. We also want to know what due diligence she employed in checking the backgrounds of the personnel who comprised this bogus and fraudulent steering committee. We also want to know the functional role of the existing staff, and what falls short of their performance, that requires a reinforced steering group.

Besides the above, we want to know what expertise and special knowledge, and criteria upon which she made her selection, and what is so special about the choice of her chosen institutions such as the Peace Council, the National Service Secretariat which is still in the dock for its well documented corruption, including their especial achieved attributes.

Why has the EC not called for an open voluntary recruitment participation by reaching to the various professional groups and organisations, such as university lectures, lawyers, medical doctors, accountants, faith groups and organisations, etc, to form this steering committee, if at-all it were necessary, but rather made choices of those particular institutions and personnel ?

We can confirm from the on-going that Charlotte Osei is seen to be drowning in a torrent stream of troubles relating to her onerous job, and clutching to straws for stability. Charlotte Osei has been so infrangible in every negotiation, as well as unyielding to suggestions that can inure to conducting a free, fair, transparent, and credible general and Presidential elections in November 2016. What is behind this her stance of obstinacy whiles serving on a national assignment, "as if" controlled remotely, is a clear conclusive omen of a disastrous recipe for electoral chaos. Her quick decision to suspend the committee must not be accepted as fait accompli as she has more ammunition up her sleeves. She must be stopped completely from abusing the constitutional rights that we have bestowed on her office,

We are hereby being emphatic in calling on the EC to immediately dissolve the so-called electoral steering committee, as suspension is not enough. This committee is not only clearly made up of NDC functional activists, but also it is not only expletive to the existing establishment of the EC. It is fraudulent, aimed at committing electoral fraud with it, and a nimbus of potential mischief and chaos that will pour on Ghanaians, if not dissolved forthwith and future resurrection abolished.

CENAB UK Media Team

Peter Antwi-Boasiako +447950388567

Adreba Abrefa Damoa +447901119669

Kingsley Adumattah Agyapong +447961068635