Mr Prince Bagnaba Mba, President of Forum for Equity , a human rights Non-Governmental Organisation has called on Ghanaians to be impartial in their discussions on the President’s appointees to serve at the Electoral Commission.
“We are all Ghanaians irrespective of our ethnic groups, religion or social background. When we are called to serve, the question that should be on our lips should be whether the person can perform the duties or not and not his political background.”
Mr Mba who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra expressed surprise that some Civil Society Organisations were calling for the resignation of two of the three people President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had appointed to fill the vacancies at the Electoral Commission.
Few days ago the President appointed three persons, namely Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani, Dr Peter Appiahene and Reverend Akua Ofori Boateng to serve as Commissioners at the Electoral Commission.
Some CSOs however called on Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani and Dr Peter Appiahene to resign claiming they were politically affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party.
“As far as Ghana is not practising Zero Party democracy, the call by three civil society organisations for two EC appointees to resign is against the spirit of democracy and completely irrelevant”.
Mr Mba said Ghana had a political history of family members belonging to different political divide like the JB Danquah and the Ofori -Attahs,the Jinapor brothers and so many others and wondered how the CSOs were making allegations without proof.
He said the newly appointed officers were not entrusted with powers to manipulate and rig elections in favour of the ruling government.
“The constitutional procedures are respected and adhered to. All appointments are subject to national security and intelligence scrutiny. We must always be aware that strong institutions give no room for over riding principles of any individual.”
Mr Mba said ringing bells of anticipation of violence was not in the best interest of Ghana’s democratic culture and people charting that path must pause and reflect on the repercussions of their decision.
