Two bodies condemn insults on EC chairman

Two institutions, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), have condemned the insulting comments allegedly made by the Member of Parliament for Assin North, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, against the Chairman of the Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Charlotte Osei, that she got her position through sexual favours.

They described the comments as distasteful, offensive and unwarranted in separate statements issued on Thursday.
The Assin North MP is not new to controversy and verbal exchanges. In February this year, he was involved in a banter of unprintable words with radio/television personality Valentina Agyeiwaah, who is known in showbiz circles as Afia Schwarzenegger.

Decorous language
A statement issued by the GCBC and signed by Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, the President of the Council, asserted that people in high offices such as parliamentarians are expected to be decorous and measured in their public utterances to give good example to the youth.
 “When such persons betray the confidence and responsibility reposed in them by Ghanaians in this manner, it becomes very sad and worrying,” it said.
“We, like others who have spoken before us, also consider the verbal attacks on Mrs Osei by Mr Agyepong as distasteful, offensive and abusive and should be condemned by all. We trust in the ability of Ghana’s Parliament and the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to bring Mr Kennedy Agyepong to order,” the statement said.
With less than 130 days to the November 7 elections, the council urged Ghanaians, especially politicians and their supporters, to preach peace in word and deed and refrain from unwarranted verbal, physical and psychological attacks on perceived opponents.

Constructive criticism
The GBA said Mr Agyepong’s comments were not only derogatory to Mrs Osei but also women in general. 
It also said while public officeholders were not beyond criticism, such criticism must have proper and relevant bases and foundations, not merely demeaning and debasing.
“Thus, while the chairperson of the Electoral Commission is not above criticism, it is extremely unfair to subject her to such scurrilous abuse and slanderous personal attacks,” it said.

Women could shun high office
According to the statement, Ghana has made a lot of progress on discrimination on the basis of gender, so, it is not in the interest of the country for those gains to be derailed or eroded and for females to shun high public office for fear of being subjected to insults and abuse.
While the GBA fell short of asking for an apology, the council on the other hand urged the Assin North MP to apologise unreservedly for the distasteful comment.

Attack on President condemned
Meanwhile, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has condemned also a reported attack on the convoy of President John Dramani Mahama at Asotwe, near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region.
The reports said the convoy of the President was pelted with stones and other missiles as it made its way from Piase to Ejisu, leading to some of the people in the convoy sustaining injuries.
“We cannot fathom why a group of Ghanaians will attack the convoy of the President in this manner and wish to call on the perpetrators of this act to be ashamed of themselves, repent of their sins and seek forgiveness from God,” the statement said.
“This act is despicable and shameful not only because it also dents our image as peaceful and tolerant people, but particularly because it represents an attack on the sovereignty of the land whose symbol the President represents. Therefore, it ought to be condemned in no uncertain terms by all,” the statement added.
The statement said the council was happy that the police had arrested some alleged perpetrators of what it described as a shameful act.