Professor Gyampo Slams Akufo-Addo

The Electoral Commission (EC) appears to have lost all independence under President Nana Akufo-Addo, as his office has reportedly demanded the Curriculum Vitae (CV) of Senior Management of State Agencies, including the EC, from the director and above.

Samuel D. Boadu, the Director of Human Resources at the Commission, suggested in an internal communication to the Head Office and Regional Directors that the request was urgent because the CVs were to be submitted within hours. The reason for the President's demand from EC officials is not yet known.

The President's demand has prompted outrage, with at least Ranford Gyampo, a Political Science professor at the University of Ghana, posting a photograph of the memo to his Facebook page in which he attacks President Akufo-Addo.

Prof. Gyampo questioned the President, "Why do you want to do this to an Independent Commission?" Under your administration, it appears you are doing everything possible to undermine the independence of all independent institutions, but to what end?

"The history of Ghana's Fourth Republic demonstrates that you are the worst President in promoting the independence of the Electoral Commission," he wrote Tuesday evening on top of a three-paragraph memo dated May 29, 2023 and titled "Submission of curriculum vitae."

It stated, "Greetings from the Corporate Headquarters of the Commission."

"Please be advised that the Office of the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has requested the Curriculum Vitae of Senior Management of State Agencies from the Director level and above.

"You are therefore requested to submit your resume to [email protected] by today, 29 May 2023, at noon, to the attention of the Commission."

Interestingly, the same President used the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo in 2018 to remove the then-EC chairperson, Charlotte Osei, and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa, from office with immediate effect, in accordance with Article 146(1) of the Constitution.

In accordance with Article 146(4) of the Ghanaian Constitution, a committee appointed by the Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, to investigate separate complaints filed by Ghanaian citizens against the three individuals recommended their removal from office.

In accordance with Article 146(1) of the Constitution, the Committee recommended their removal based on allegations of misconduct, corruption, and ineptitude.

Concerned Electoral Commission employees petitioned the President and Chief Justice in July 2017 to initiate impeachment proceedings against Commission Chairperson Charlotte Osei.

They alleged that Mrs. Osei made unilateral decisions without consulting the appropriate departments of the EC, including her deputies.

They were succeeded by Jean Mensah of the Institute of Economic Affairs and Bossman Asare of the University of Ghana's Political Science Department. The memo therefore appears to indicate that the President is up to something nefarious once more.

It remains unverified whether or not an identical memorandum was sent to other state agencies requiring directors and others to submit their resumes to the Office of the President.

The following is what Professor Gyampo wrote:

Sincerely, President Akufo Addo

Why would you do such a thing to an Independent Commission? Under your administration, it appears you are doing everything possible to undermine the independence of all independent institutions, but to what end?

You are the worst President in the annals of Ghana's Fourth Republic in terms of promoting the independence of the Electoral Commission.

Unfortunately, there are no courageous individuals around you who will advise you to abandon your efforts to seize control of the Electoral Commission. In the past, as General Secretary of the NPP, Dan Botwe was able to brazenly tell President Kufuor to desist from his attempt to usurp the procurement powers of the Electoral Commission, and Kufuor had no choice but to listen.

Please resign and preserve the integrity of our independent institutions. Sir, this behavior is not worthy of imitation or repetition. This request is superfluous, and its implications for the effort to address the Electoral Commission's lack of independence are negative.

However, the Electoral Commission must not appear to accept everything the President throws at them hook, line, and sinker. As an independent Commission, it is protected by the law against any attempt to subjugate it to the Executive President.