President Nana Akufo-Addo has sworn into office three members of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana. They are Reverend Akua Ofori Boateng, Salima Armed Tijani and Dr Peter Appiahene.
Their appointment is in line with Article 43 (1 and 2) of the 1992 constitution which states that, “there shall be an Electoral Commission which shall consist of a chairman, two deputy chairmen, and four other members. The members of the commission shall be appointed by the president under Article 70 of this constitution.”
Quality work
At a brief swearing-in ceremony held at Jubilee House in Accra on Monday (20 March 2023), President Akufo-Addo administered the three key oaths (of office, allegiance and secrecy) to the three new electoral commissioners.
He noted that they “have come to office some 21 months to the 2024 general election and at a time when Ghana seeks to entrench her credentials as a beacon of democracy in Africa”.
“It is the quality of your work that will reassure the Ghana people that the democratic system of government that they have chosen for their governance will be properly nurtured by an electoral system that allows their voice to be plainly and loudly heard,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“As you begin work, you will find no honeymoon period, neither will you be afforded the chance to settle in to your new responsibilities. I have, nevertheless, confidence in you and in your abilities to surmount the hurdles before you.
“Remember now more than ever, that every decision you take will be scrutinised to the letter. That, however, should not scare you and, indeed, let no one try to cow you into submission.
“On the contrary, let this expectation of the Ghanaian people spur you on to great heights and, above all, work so that the will of the Ghanaian people is upheld,” Akufo-Addo added.
Poised to work
Dr Appiahene, in his response on behalf of the three new electoral commissioners, expressed their gratitude to the president for their appointment and to the Council of State for supporting their nomination.
“We are greatly humbled, honoured, motivated, and we finally see this appointment as a sense of duty,” Dr Appiahene said.
“We also accept this appointment in the symbolism of a fresh journey ahead of us, a journey to meet the high expectation of the various stakeholders, especially the over 31 million Ghanaians.
“We are aware of the massive responsibilities and tasks that come with it. We want to state that we are poised, prepared to deliver and to contribute to the development of our democracy, especially in this digital era,” he added.
The EC
The Electoral Commission is one of the governance institutions provided for under the 1992 constitution.
The Commission was established by the Electoral Commission Act (Act 451) of 1993. It was set up purposely to manage the conduct of all public elections and referenda, to handle all matters directly related to the conduct of elections in Ghana.
The EC is currently chaired by Jean Mensa. Dr Bossman Eric Asare is the deputy chairman responsible for corporate affairs and Samuel Tettey is the second deputy chairman in charge of operations.
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