Chief Justice activates impeachment process against EC bosses

The Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo has empanelled a committee to look into the alleged abuse of power and corruption scandals that have rocked the Electoral Commission (EC).

A report by the Daily Guide Newspaper indicates that there appears to be sufficient grounds for impeachment of the EC officers involved, who are at loggerheads, thereby jeopardizing the operation of the commission.

The five-member committee is expected to investigate the EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, together with her two deputies – Georgina Opoku-Amankwah, who is in charge of Corporate Services and Amadu Sulley, in charge of Operations – as prescribed under Article 146 of the 1992 constitution.

The committee, to be presided over by a Supreme Court Judge, has two other Court of Appeal judges (male and female), as well as two other members nominated by the Council of State (female and male) as its membership.

The decision to form the committee comes after two separate petitions demanding the removal of the EC Boss were sent to the president.

Reports indicated that at least 15 allegations have been leveled against Mrs. Osei in the second petition. Some of the allegations involved the unilateral award of contracts by the EC boss in the run-up to the 2016 general election.

The earlier petition from unnamed EC staff, who are being represented by Lawyer Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, accused Mrs. Osei of funneling of GHc 3.9 million to partition an office, the receipt of a Toyota Land Cruiser from the Mahama government, the expenditure of about $14 million when the Public Procurement Authority had authorised her to use only $7.5 million among others.

Mrs. Osei in a response also accused her deputy Chairpersons of the Commission of arrogance and illegally signing contracts worth over GHc 40 million without her approval.

“It is worth pointing out, that while the Chairperson is persistently accused of arrogance and taking unilateral decisions, there is ample evidence of extreme arrogance, ineptitude and blatant breaches of the law by the deputy Chairpersons.

“The Deputy Chairperson F/A has signed contracts worth over GHc 40m without knowledge and authorization of the Chairperson between July-September 2015,” she said.