News:
July 24, 2018
Former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Minta Akandoh has said, President Nana Akufo-Addo’s nomination of a new chairperson for the Electoral Commission shows he has set in place a future rigging machinery.
President Nana Akufo-Addo yesterday nominated Jean Adukwei Mensa, Executive Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), to replace Madam Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei as Ghana’s new Electoral Commissioner.
When put under strict questioning to substantiate his allegations, the former Deputy Minister said, “be patient with me you would understand why I am saying so”.
He noted that when the Chief Executive Officer of the National Identification Authority (NIA) Professor Attafuah came to Parliament, he said in future data base of NIA would be used to vote; and the President being a lawyer knows very well it is the job of EC to do that.
Again the President fires the EC chairperson and her two deputies knowing very well procurement is not ECs core mandate.
He further added that, two top officials of the birth and death in the Volta Region have been removed which is a strong hold of the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC), if these moves are not planning for rigging tell me what it is?
“This woman Jane Mensa, said former President John Mahama was running away from Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) debate, I do not trust her political neutrality’, he lamented.
Those who were making noise when the former EC was appointed and said she did not get her appointment genuinely and that she used part of her body to attain her position, what are they saying about the nomination of the new EC chairperson now?
“Did Jane Mensa use part of her body to attain her nominations, we need to be serious in this country any time we are talking let us remember that Kama law exist”, said.
When questioned if he is not engaging in cheap politics, “what cheap politics”, Ghana is for all of us not for President Akufo-Addo alone, so when there are issues to be discussed I would do so.
Even if NDC as a party is in support of the nomination of the new EC boss, I am against it, civil society should speak out, let us not make this issue NDC and NPP, the President fires three people at the EC then another President comes would also fire ten people at the EC.
“We are a major player in this country’s political history, we cannot sit and be quite over this issue, it all started whiles NPP was in opposition they said the former EC chairperson does not deserve the position, when they come to power they would fire her”, he lamented.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com