Attn: Mrs. Charlotte Osei, Chairperson.
Dear Madam,
RE: ELECTION TIMETABLE AND 7TH DECEMBER 2016 GENERAL ELECTIONS
I write to you as a citizen of the republic because of my anxiety that the general elections scheduled for 7th December 2016 might not come off. My anxiety, which unfortunately is shared by many well-meaning citizens, stems from the continuing legal battles between the Commission and several presidential aspirants, who have been disqualified by the Commission.
This is against the backdrop of the incontestable proposition that the deadline permitted by the Constitution, under article 63 (2) (a) thereof, for the conduct of presidential elections is 7th December 2016.
At the same time, I have observed that the Commission has been quick to assure the nation that it is on top of the issues, that there is no reason for citizens to be agitated that the elections might not come on as scheduled, and that the Commission will definitely not only supervise a successful conduct of general elections on 7th December 2016 but will deliver the most successful and efficient, free, fair and credible elections Ghana has ever experienced.
While I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of the assurances of the Commission, you will agree with me that the anxieties of many Ghanaians, including myself, would largely be laid to rest if you could provide direct answers to the following specific questions that I ask below.
Let me, for the avoidance of doubt, state clearly that I ask the questions set out below in exercise of my fundamental human right under Article 21 (1) (f) of the Constitution of the Republic which guarantees “every person” “the right to information, subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society”.
Fortunately, I am unaware of any qualifications or laws that would permit the Commission to deny me this right in the instant case. I accordingly proceed to ask of the Commission the following questions:
1. In the Commission’s considered judgment, and all things being equal, when does the Commission project that the current spate of law suits involving it and those presidential aspirants, whom the Commission has disqualified for stated reasons, will end to enable the Commission carry out the ballot for positions of the presidential candidates on the ballot paper?
2. When in the Commission’s considered judgment will the ballot papers for the presidential candidates for the 2016 elections be printed and ready for the December 2016 elections?
3. Are the other election materials, such as the Statement of Poll for the Office of Member of Parliament and Statement of Poll for the Office of President (popularly referred to as “pink sheets”); the Certificate to be Endorsed on Writ (Form EL1 B for parliamentary elections) and the Certificate to be Endorsed on Writ (Form EL 1 B for presidential elections); and the Parliamentary Elections – Results Collation Form (Form EL 23A) and the Presidential Elections-Result Collation Form (Form EL 23B) already printed out and ready for use for the December 2016 elections?
4. If they are already printed out, when were they so printed?
5. If these materials have not already been printed out, when, in the judgment of the Commission, will they be printed out and be in the custody of the Commission to ensure the conduct of general elections on 7th December 2016? 6. Will these election materials be printed in Ghana or abroad?
7. Finally, when, in the judgment of the Commission, would be the last date that it should have concluded the current law suits it is involved in as a party and should have printed all relevant elections materials, as set out above, to ensure that it is able to conduct and supervise the December 2016 presidential elections?
Madam Chairperson, it would, with respect, be very much appreciated if you could furnish me with the Commission’s written answers to each of these questions within the shortest possible time, and certainly, by Wednesday, November 9, 2016.
Yours faithfully,
Akoto Ampaw
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Good and reasonable question,Lawyer Akoto.It seems EC chair is too arrogant,and have bent on rigging the the elections for NDC,forgetting that she's gradually plunging the nation into chaos.
Fuuuulish EC chairperson. Your time will come
breaking news, OPEN LETTER TO CHARLOTE OSEI OF (E,C,) it look like charlote osei want to put ghana and Ghanaian in to trouble,SHE WANT TO SEND US TO HELL BEFORE OUR TIME, she want to make ghana a hell for all ghana people, since she took over at e,c, there is no day that people dont complain about her activities , now ghana people want the number of proxy voters and she cant provide them, we want the number of forces who will be voting and she cant provide them , why does she want to impose mahama on ghana people, the who world know that mahama he failed ghana and ghana people will vote him out, mahama knows it him self that he has failed, all n,d,c people know that mahamA has failed, Ghanaians know know that mahama is a failure, why should charlote osei impose some one on us, the whole ghana have rejected, some of us have kept quiet in ghana for the past years, not that we are cowards, but we love ghana, love our people and respect the world laws, but charlote osie is pushing us and we will not allow her to destroy ghana, she is a confused , incompetent and ***barred word*** ABOUT the ,e,c, laws and she is a A DISGRACE but we will resist all repressive rule in Ghana, Ghana people will stand for their right and fight for democracy, a word to the wise is enough, charlote osei cant be seen in ghana now, she has gone to London for conference when u have not finish the electoral process, some of us know what she is up to but it wont work and we will resist and fight for our rite untill death take us from this world, all ghana people must come together to vote mahama out,, ghana is for ghana peOpole, NOTE, ALIENS MUST, SHOULD STAY OUT OF GHANA 2016 ELECTION, ALL TOGOLESE MUST, I REPEAT MUST NOT VOTE IN GHANA ELECTION, OK, FROM GHANA PEOPLE AND WORRIED GHANAIANs, NOTE, SEND THIS MESSAGAE TO EVERY GHANAIAN LIVING ON EARTH TO VOTE AGAINST MAHAMA
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,,, IF YOU HAVE SITUATED THE ISSUES IN ITS PROPER CONTEXT, YOU WOULD DEDUCE THAT AKOTO AMPAW'S QUESTION, THOUGH MAY SOUND LEGIT,, IT STILL LACKS MORAL CLARITY. AND THE REBUTTAL TO MINE IS MISCHIEVOUS. HOW NAIVE,,, COULD ANYONE BE,,, TO THINK THAT THE EC INTENDS TO RIG THE ELECTIONS,,, AND FOR WHOM? IF THE RULES OF THE GAME ARE LAID DOWN AT IPAC MEETINGS WHICH WE ALL KNOWS INVOLVED ALL STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEN THERE IS A GENERAL CONSENSUS. WHENCE COMETH THESE PARANOIAC FEELING OF RIGGING. AND MUCH AS EVERYONE THINKS THE LEGAL BATTLES COULD DELAY THE ELECTIONS,,, THOSE COULD ONLY BE SPECULATIONS. BUT EVEN IF IT DOES,,, THERE EXIST A CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION WHICH PERMITS AD HOC MEASURES TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO KEEP THE AFFAIRS OF THE NATION RUNNING... THE WORRYING BIT IS THAT, THOSE MEASURES MAY NOT HAVE THE MUSCLES TO WIELD EXECUTIVE POWERS TO SUBDUE INSURGENCY. SHOULD THERE BE ANY. WHICH I THINK IS THE GRAND AGENDA OF THE NPP. AND TO THINK THAT PEOPLE LIKE US WILL STAND ALOOF AND WATCH THAT HAPPEN??????? TIME WILL TELL.
Dear AKOTO WE ARE BUSY WORKING ON THE TIMELINES FOR THE 2016 ELECTION AND WILL UNABLE TO RESPOND TO YOUR REQUEST. YOURS FAITHFULLY, MADAM C OSEI EC CHAIRPERSON