Professor Bahuru Agyeman-Dua, former United Nations Senior Governance Adviser
Former United Nations Senior Governance Adviser Professor Baffle Agyeman-Dua has expressed concern over the growing trend in Ghana of replacing the head of the Electoral Commission (EC) with each change of government.
He said the practice was a serious threat to the country’s democratic stability.
Speaking at the 2024 Ghana Speaks High-Level Forum hosted by the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Professor Agyeman Dua highlighted the removal of former EC Chairperson Charlotte Osei as an example of this recurring problem.
Osei was ousted following the victory of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2016 elections, but the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which opposed her removal at the time, is now the current EC chairperson. is threatening to replace Gene Mensa. , if they win the 2024 election.
Professor Agyeman-Dua warned that this cycle of sacking the EC chief every time there is a change of government is dangerous and undermines the integrity of the electoral process.
“Suspicions will always exist,” he said, referring to the perception that the EC head is politically biased due to his appointment by the president.
He added that frequent changes in the EC’s leadership threatens public confidence in the EC’s impartiality and undermines the stability of Ghana’s governance.
He urged political parties to break away from this pattern and stressed the importance of maintaining continuity and impartiality within election commissions.
Professor Agyeman-Dua cited the example of Western democracies, arguing that in these countries the transition of EC leadership has been less politicized, ensuring the stability and credibility of electoral systems.
He also called for a review of the current appointment process for EC leaders in Ghana.
“There is no need for the president to make the appointment,” he said, arguing for alternative ways to prevent perceptions of bias and ensure the EC’s independence. Professor Agyeman-Dua stressed that learning from other democracies could help maintain the integrity of Ghana’s elections.
The scholar pointed out that it is currently easy to remove the EC President, explaining that a single petition to the President can trigger proceedings by the Chief Justice and lead to the removal of the EC President.
He warned that the process undermined democratic institutions and called for reforms to ensure future changes in the EC’s leadership were not driven by political interests.
Professor Agyeman-Dua’s comments highlight the urgent need to address the politicization of the Electoral Commission as Ghana prepares for the 2024 general elections.
