Former senior UN Governance Advisor Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah has expressed serious concerns about the impact of Charlotte Osei’s dismissal as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).
In an interview, he noted that this decision has set a troubling precedent that continues to affect public perception of the EC.
His remarks come as discussions about the EC’s transparency grow louder, particularly following recent Afrobarometer survey results.
With just 40 days left for the 2024 elections, the EC is now regarded as one of Ghana’s least trusted public institutions.
The latest survey indicates a rising belief that the EC is not trustworthy.
Despite its responsibility to conduct the December 7 elections fairly and transparently, only 28% of respondents said they trust the Commission—down from 59% in 2012 and a decline from 33% in 2022.
Reflecting on the 2016 election campaign, Prof. Agyeman-Duah noted, “The opposition claimed they would remove her if they won—and within three years, that promise was fulfilled.”
He reflected on the simplicity of the removal process: “A single individual wrote the petition to the President, who simply acted as a conveyor, sending it to the Chief Justice, who then made the decision.”
This swift removal, he argued, was unusual and tainted the public’s view of the EC’s independence.
For Prof. Agyeman-Duah, the incident fostered a narrative that the EC could be influenced by political interests.
“In my view, that event has tarnished the Electoral Commission’s image,” he maintained.
Current EC officials, he added, “are in a tough position because of the circumstances under which they were appointed, which created doubt about their credibility.”
“This action has fueled and reinforced opposition criticism, creating a cycle of mistrust that continues to hinder the EC’s credibility,” he said in an interview with Joy News on October 30.
