We need to change how we appoint EC Chairpersons - Bawah Mogtari

Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has called for reformative changes in the process of appointing leadership at the Electoral Commission.

Speaking to the media on Friday, November 29, 2024, at an event in Accra, the legal practitioner expressed dissatisfaction with the current system, where the executive holds the sole authority to appoint the Electoral Commissioner.

According to her, such appointments undermine fairness, as the appointed Electoral Commissioner may feel inclined to favour the person who appointed them, potentially compromising impartiality.

Bawah Mogtari proposed that Parliament should appoint Electoral Commission officials, or that a system be established where qualified, non-partisan individuals can apply for the position and be employed if they meet the necessary criteria.

“If we change the way they are appointed, the way they work and if we are able to get parliament to appoint for us or we put out a criteria for them to apply like anybody does and if they are qualified, why not,” Bawah proposed.

Bawah Mogtari stated that a constitutional review amendment process under a future National Democratic Congress (NDC) government would address these issues.

She emphasised that such reforms would eliminate favouritism, enabling the Electoral Commission to operate impartially and independently, free from bias.

“These are some of the things that the Constitutional review and amendment process is asking for. Ghanaians believe there is too much power in the executive, and so when you have a very partisan commissioner, and people protest, the president refuses to listen to what they say, but if we are able to change the way the appointments are made that anybody in any category of partisanship is not allowed to even apply, then you have actually achieved something, and that is what I hope for,” she added.

MAG/MA