Help formalise EC as neutral referee - NPP urges Council of State
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is calling for transparency in the appointment of commissioners for the Electoral Commission to play its role as a neutral referee.
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It has, therefore, appealed to the Council of State to help formalise and institutionalise a process that would position the Electoral Commission as a neutral referee.
“Ghana would be helped if the Council were to formalise and institutionalise a process to act upon the advice of, amongst others, the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), when advising H.E. the President on who should serve on the EC,” a statement from the party stated.
The statement signed by Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, National Chairman of the NPP, said a bad referee spoiled a good match and in a high-stake political contest, a bad commissioner could cause bloodshed.
According to the statement, which was copied to a number of personalities and institutions, the majority of the judges in the recent presidential election petition at the Supreme Court found in one area or another, misrepresentations, omissions and malpractices.
“We thank God for the good sense of the Ghanaian that our country did not follow the example of other countries to seek to rectify grievances through violence,” the statement added.
The statement was copied to the President, his Vice, Speaker of Parliament, Her Ladyship, The Chief Justice, former President J.J. Rawlings and former President J.A.Kufuor.
Others were the Chairpersons of IPAC member parties, Chairman and Deputy Chairpersons of EC, Peace Council, Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana, Institute of Democratic Governance and the media.
It said that the 1992 constitution gave to President Mahama, acting on the advice of the Council of State, the power to appoint the Chairman, Deputy Chairmen and members of the Electoral Commission.
In the past, these powers had been exercised without any consultation with the political parties, the statement noted, pointing out that “given that the Council of State is unfortunately perceived by members of the opposition and many other citizens as being an adjunct of the executive, Ghana would be helped if the Council were to formalise and institutionalise a process to select who should serve on the EC.”
This decision and action, according to the statement, will not need an amendment to the Constitution and will be very much in line with the spirit of Article 144 (3) on the appointment of Appeal and High Court judges on the advice of the judicial Council, who are those most knowledgeable about their colleagues, as the political parties may be presumed to be knowledgeable on political players.
“This matter is urgent in view of the expected retirement in the near future of the Chairman of the EC,” the statement added.
It, therefore, urged the Chairman and members of the Council of State to give the matter their most careful consideration.