Some political parties have described the performance of the Electoral Commissioner as unimpressive after a year in office.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) are asking Charlotte Osei to improve her performance in order to successfully execute the November polls.
The acting Chairman of the NPP, Freddy Blay said: “We want to urge her on…we want to ask her that five months may be a short time but we could have a very significant impact if she is a bit accommodating, diplomatic and can have a listening ear,” Mr Blay said.
President Mahama appointed Mrs. Charlotte Kesson Smith-Osei as Chair of the Commission in June 2015.
Her appointment came after the previous Chair, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan retired after almost two decades in office.
Charlotte Osei’s appointment was met with mixed reactions from Ghanaians. Some were excited about the fact that a woman had been appointed to head the EC but others thought she would be weak to run the affairs of the EC the way her predecessor Dr. Afari Gyan did. But her resistance to calls by the NPP for the compilation of a new voters register is, perhaps a testimony of her assertiveness.
The Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Koku Anyidoho said she has brought new breath to the EC “in terms of making Ghanaians understand that the EC operates according to rules and regulations and not according to the whims and caprices of political parties.”
Another controversy that has rocked the Commission under the leadership of Mrs. Osei is the changing of the Commission’s logo.
The Commission’s new logo
Concerns were raised about the new logo which is similar to the logo of a Turkish institution but the Commissioner defended the decision with a witty remark saying “we liked, we picked it and it makes us happy.” It was unveiled together with a new website of the Commission.
Former First Lady and founder of the National Democratic Party( NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings said the Commission ‘must get its priorities right and be more proactive.
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings
Mrs. Charlotte Osei recently reshuffled the entire communications department of the EC, sending then director of Public Affairs Christian Owusu-Parry to head the administration department. Principal Public Relations officer, Sylvia Annor was also reassigned to be in charge of protocol.
Perhaps the biggest of the challenges for Mrs Osei is what to do with the new Supreme Court judgment directing her outfit to delete names of NHIS carders from the register and reregister. Even though the judgment was given in May, the Commission is yet to implement the order, a situation which angered judges at the Apex Court.
The judges has therefore ordered the Commission to produce a comprehensive list of persons who registered in 2012 with the National Health Insurance cards by June 29, 2016. This order came after the plaintiffs of the case, Abu Ramadan and Evans Nimako returned to the court for clarification of the May ruling.
Some critics have suggested the EC will not be in a position to supply the Apex court with the list but the Commission has insisted it will.
It remains to be seen if Mrs Charlotte Osei will pass her first real test at the Supreme Court.
Source: Ghana| Myjoyonline.com
