Jean Mensa, deputies have demonstrated high-handedness, evasiveness – IMANI boss

The President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has expressed support for the removal of Electoral Commission Chairperson Jean Adukwei Mensa and her deputies, citing their alleged lack of transparency and accountability in handling electoral processes.

This comes after the Electoral Commission faced criticism for its management of the 2020 parliamentary elections, particularly in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe (SALL) areas.

Cudjoe criticized the Electoral Commission’s leadership, accusing them of recklessness and negligence. “The current leadership of the EC has demonstrated high-handedness and evasiveness that have cost the nation dearly,” he stated. He emphasized that their actions threaten Ghana’s democratic foundations and require serious scrutiny.

Although Cudjoe did not personally file a petition for their removal, he revealed that IMANI has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over the EC’s actions. He stressed that the demand for accountability is not partisan but a matter of institutional integrity.

Cudjoe’s comments follow demands by NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah for the EC chairpersons to step down. With Cudjoe joining the chorus of critics, pressure is mounting on the Electoral Commission to address growing public concerns. “This is bigger than SALL. It’s about the survival of our electoral credibility,” Cudjoe warned.

The Electoral Commission of Ghana is responsible for organizing and managing elections in the country. According to the Commission’s own website, “The EC is mandated to compile and maintain a register of voters, compile and revise voters’ register, exhibit the register for public inspection, and hear and determine appeals against decisions of the Electoral Commission on registration.”

The rising chorus of discontent suggests that the EC’s top leadership may face intensified public and legal scrutiny ahead of the next election cycle. As the country’s electoral body, it is essential that the EC maintains transparency, accountability, and credibility to ensure the integrity of Ghana’s democratic processes.