Kofi Adams, Member of Parliament for Buem and former National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has slammed President Nana Akufo-Addo for appointing three new members to the Electoral Commission’s Board.
On Monday, March 20, President Akufo-Addo swore in three new members of the Electoral Commission (EC) governing board in accordance with Article 43 (1 and 2) of the 1992 Constitution.
The three included Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng Salima, Ahmed Tijani, and Dr. Peter Appiahene.
According to Mr. Adams, President Akufo-Addo is the only president in Ghana’s history who has denigrated the office of the Electoral Commission by appointing only party apparatchiks to the position.
Dr. Peter Appiahene, he claimed, is an NPP activist.
He stated that while previous presidents worked to protect and preserve the office’s sanctity, Akufo-Addo has politicised it and flooded its corridors with NPP supporters.
“All the other former presidents have worked to ensure the sanctity of the Electoral Commission, but that is far from President Akufo-Addo. Never has the Electoral Commission been tainted through a partisan lens than has happened in this current administration. Right from the processes leading to the removal of Charlotte Osei and her colleagues through to the appointment of Jean Mensa and others and the additions made today.”
Mr. Adams went on to accuse the New Patriotic Party government of undermining the Electoral Commission’s independence.
“The president and by extension, his government and his party have worked to destroy this independent institution that has been so much respected by all other former presidents we have had in this country. It appears that the president is dissatisfied with the number of party officials in the presidency and wishes to extend it to institutions established by the constitution.”
