Joseph Blankson Adumadzie, the Electoral Commission (EC) staff member who filed a petition seeking the removal of EC Chairperson Jean Mensa and her two deputies, has disclosed that he is currently under interdiction and has been away from work for months.
Mr. Adumadzie, a database administrator who has worked at EC headquarters since January 2012, confirmed his employment status during an interview with Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, November 24. He clarified that while he remains an EC employee, he has been directed to stay away from the workplace pending internal proceedings.
The interdiction stems from allegations that old Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) were discovered at a recycling company in Madina in 2024 and were somehow connected to him. More than 10 BVDs were reportedly found at the facility, triggering the administrative action against him. He has consistently rejected these allegations as baseless and maintains that the claims about the discarded devices lack any factual foundation.
Mr. Adumadzie filed his petition under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, which outlines procedures for removing heads of independent constitutional bodies. The petition targets Jean Mensa, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, and Samuel Tettey, and is built on 12 grounds of alleged misconduct.
The allegations detailed in his petition include cronyism, abuse of office, and gross incompetence. Mr. Adumadzie argues that these issues have significantly undermined public trust in the Commission and threaten the credibility and independence of Ghana’s electoral system.
He stressed that his decision to petition President John Dramani Mahama is entirely separate from his interdiction and should not be interpreted as an act of revenge or personal retaliation. According to him, the petition addresses systemic governance problems at the Commission that demand urgent attention from the appointing authority.
Mr. Adumadzie explained that his motivation centers on accountability and safeguarding the Constitution rather than personal grievances. He emphasized that the issues he raised require intervention to protect the integrity of the Electoral Commission as a crucial democratic institution.
The petitioner has called on President Mahama to fulfill his constitutional duty by referring the petition to the Chief Justice for determination of whether a prima facie case exists, in line with the requirements under Article 146.
The petition comes amid broader discussions about the management and performance of the Electoral Commission and follows earlier unsuccessful attempts by other individuals to remove EC leadership through similar constitutional processes.
