A former senior UN Governance Advisor, Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has voiced his concerns about the impact of former Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Charlotte Osei’s dismissal on the entity. The move, he told Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, set a lasting precedent that continues to influence public perception of the commission. His comments come amid fresh conversations about the EC’s transparency following the latest Afrobarometer survey results.
With 40 days remaining until the 2024 elections, the EC has become one of the least trusted public institutions in Ghana. The latest Afrobarometer survey reveals that public perception of the EC as corrupt is on the rise. While the EC is responsible for organising the December 7 elections in a fair, impartial, and transparent manner, only 28% of respondents expressed trust in the Commission.
This marks a significant decline from the 59% trust level it enjoyed in 2012. In 2022, public trust in the Commission stood at 33%, but it has declined further to 28% this year. This development is a cause of concern for Prof Agyeman-Duah. Recalling the 2016 election campaign, Prof. Agyeman-Duah stated, “The opposition then said that if they won the elections, they were going to displace her…truly, the President came in, and within three years, that came to pass.”
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 stated.
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.” The move, he argues, sustained and emboldened opposition criticism, creating a cycle of mistrust that remains an obstacle for the EC.
By: Abubakar Ibrahim
