.jpg "Abdul Malik Kweku Baako")
Kweku Baako rubbishes petition against EC Boss
The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has described as untrue, a claim by the 'concerned staff' of the Electoral Commission (EC) that a contract with Superlock Technologies Limited (STL) was unilaterally abrogated by the Chairperson, Mrs Charlotte Osei without due process.
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According to him, an email correspondence available to him suggests that those who were supposed to have signed the contract claimed they had no knowledge of the agreement hence the cancellation.
Speaking on Joy FM's Newsfile programme on Saturday, he also said that the new contract with STL was $7 million and not more than $21m as claimed by the petitioners who are asking President Akufo-Addo to initiate steps to impeach the EC boss.
Kweku Baako added that he was disappointed at the petitioners because they did not pay attention to facts. "I am beginning to suspect that the concerned workers perhaps have no access to official records,” he said
The veteran Journalist further dismissed the assertion that Mrs Osei compromised her neutrality and independence by arranging for a 2015 V8 Land Cruiser from the Office of the President.
This arrangement, he explained, had been in place since 1992 and cannot be a basis for an impeachment.
He also said that the petitioners' charge of 'arrogance' against the EC boss cannot be a ground for impeachment.
Her accusers say she refused to grant audience to the leadership of the National Peace Council and an AU delegation which monitored the 2016 general elections.
“The claim is also not true, the two groups had no appointment to meet the woman who was unavailable at the time of their visits. The chairperson, however, honoured a scheduled meeting with the Peace Council and the AU delegation which was led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki” he explained.
Mr Baako further said a statement attributed to the EC chair indicating her dislike for a printing company, Buck Press Ltd because of its perceived ties with the New Patriotic Party was factually inaccurate.
He therefore advised the petitioners to verify with a transcript of the EC boss’ comments made during a BBC interview last year.
Notwithstanding, Mr Baako admitted that some "big" allegations bordering on procurement, contracts and financial malfeasance are serious impeachable offences.
In addition, he said, irrespective of the allegations, there was a need for some investigations because the corporate integrity of the Electoral Commission was at stake.