Charlotte Osei, an embodiment of hope and courage

By Seth Mifetu

A man is said to be hero, not when he loses many war, but rather the many war he wins. So says the adage.

Since 1992, Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) came under scrutiny by level headed politicians and discerning Ghanaians who in one way or the other had opposed its position on electoral matters.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) had since the declaration of multi-party democracy under the fourth Republic, disrupted the EC by accusing its Chairperson of being unfair in the course of general elections.

This unbefitting description of EC boss was fueled by many election defeats NPP has suffered since the beginning of the fourth Republic.

Even though international observers have described the successive elections in Ghana as free and fair, NPP has maintained its unfounded pedestal on EC. Ghana’s electoral commission, from 1992 had scored six (6) successive free, fair and transparent elections and has since remained a blueprint for the electoral development of other African countries.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei, the current EC boss who took over from Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan has also been met with the wrath of the NPP.

She came under severe scrutiny and endless character assassination, from a spectrum of self-appointed expects of artificial intelligence within the NPP. Avalanches of verbal abuses have been raised on her, with unprintable names. One of such insults which easily comes to mind is the unprintable insults fulminated on her by a leading member of the NPP, Kennedy Agyapong, who verbally smeared her reputation and dedication to serve.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei’s traits and postures however, shows that, the size of her will to serve is bigger than the size of the evil intentions to destruct her . NPP stunts created mix-feeling, and in fact, was misrepresentation of the silent majority who agreed with the EC boss. The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), the mouth piece of mainstream Ghanaians who do not doubt the profound proficiencies of Mrs. Charlotte Osei, through the President of the Republic, H.E President John Dramani Mahama advised the public to stop mounting unnecessary pressure on the EC boss to enable her have peaceful environment to work. It is remarkable to note that, after Charlotte Osei winning the war on maintaining her stands of cleaning the voter’s register as against compiling a complete new one proposed by vociferous minority, she again made a swift turn in October 10th 2016 when she took yet another giant stands in defense of Ghana’s constitution by disqualifying thirteen (13) Presidential candidates out of a total of 17 who failed to pay due diligence to the requirements of Presidential eligibility by either filling the nominee/candidate form haphazardly or providing fraudulent or criminal information that either a breach of or do not meet requirement of Regulation 7 (2) (b) of CI 94 or Regulation 7 (4) of CI 94 as stipulated by the constitution. As a Country of law, three (3) out of thirteen (13) disqualified Presidential candidates were cleared by the Court and were accepted to contest after seeking the face of the law.

This instance had given hope and courage to many Ghanaians who thinks that Ghana’s political evolution is stagnant and insensitive to law and justice.

Yet, not everyone has applauded the EC boss for her desire to repair the linking electoral pot. Her turn of prompting presidential candidates to adhere to electoral laws, has created a political ecstasy, but a shakeup in our political gymnastic, awakening of our political culture and a direct message to Ghanaians political conscience.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Charlotte Osei was a focus woman with a commitment and program. Her perspectives, actions and stands are always clear and justified.

The prove of the pounding, is in the eating. So, December 7, 2016, Ghanaians went to the polls to put Mrs. Charlotte Osei and the Commission to the test.

It was Mrs. Charlotte Osei’s first general election and her credibility and promise to deliver was at stake.

Notwithstanding the hacking in to the EC transmission data base, it was smooth and quiet election with Mrs. Charlotte Osei declaring Akufo-Addo as winner.

Akufo-Addo in his acceptance speech, applauded Mrs. Charlotte Osei (NPP synonymous enemy) and the Commission for due diligence and professionalism. What a shock!

Would the primitive behavior of the NPP by tagging people and institutions unjustly, ever stopped?

Until a balance of equality, due diligence and mutual respect to institutions is shared, a woman certainly had assumed the helm of affairs.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei leads, Ghana electoral commission soar.