Political scientist Professor Ransford Gyampo believes Ghanaians should exercise caution in calling for the removal of two board members of the Election Commission who are allegedly connected to the ruling National Patriotic Party.
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) recently demanded that Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani resign from their positions at the Electoral Commission, and he made these comments in response.
According to rumors, Dr. Peter Appiahene is a patron of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), which suggests that he is loyal to the current administration.
“If you call for the resignation of a typical Ghanaian public servant, you will merely be romancing a spoon because the culture of resignation is not ingrained in our psyche unless one is pushed to resign.”
He also stated that some stakeholders are concerned about interference in institutions that are supposed to function as independent bodies.
“People will look at the legitimacy and independence of the commission with some trepidation and when that happens, they are pushed with aggression and defence at all times and see everything that the commission does as wrong even when the Commission means well. We cannot allow this to go on in perpetuity. The EC itself requires institutional peace to be able to carry out its activities else election management will suffer.”
President Akufo-Addo named Dr. Appiahene and Ahmed Tijani to the Election Commission’s board in March 2023.
Due to the two’s political ties to the NPP, their selection has drawn criticism.
The appointments were made in accordance with Article 43 (1 and 2) of the 1992 constitution, which says that “there shall be an electoral commission, consisting of a chairman, two deputy chairs, and four other members.”
