By Francis Kobena Tandoh
A staff member of the Electoral Commission (EC), Joseph Blankson Adumadzie, has petitioned Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to remove EC Chairperson Jean Mensa and her two deputies, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey.
The petition invokes Article 146 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which provides for the removal of heads of independent constitutional bodies.
Adumadzie contends that there are 12 counts of “stated misbehaviour” against the three officials, including abuse of office, cronyism, and gross incompetence.
He argues that their conduct has “eroded public confidence” in the EC and threatens the credibility and independence of Ghana’s electoral system.
This is not the only petition, as a group called the Positive Transparency and Accountability Movement (PTAAM-GH) also submitted a petition on 8 January 2025 calling for the removal of Jean Mensa and her two deputies.
Their arguments include: alleged “financial loss to the state” (from compiling a new voter register and buying new biometric devices), procurement breaches, and what they call “poor corporate governance.”
Another petition was filed by Daniel Ofosu-Appiah (from the Volta Region) on 27 January 2025. He also includes Dr Peter Appiahene (an EC commissioner) among those to be removed.
Ofosu-Appiah’s petition alleges constitutional breaches (citing Articles 42, 23, 296) and argues that EC leadership has shown “incompetence, bias and partisanship.”
Meanwhile, the Centre for Democracy and Socio-Economic Development (CDS Africa) has strongly warned President Mahama against removing the EC leadership.
According to the group, such a removal could undermine the independence of the Electoral Commission, set a dangerous political precedent, and erode public trust in democratic institutions.
If Mahama goes ahead to refer the petition (as required by Article 146), the Chief Justice would need to determine whether there is a prima facie case for “misbehaviour.”
A successful removal would mean a change in EC leadership, which could have significant consequences for how elections are run and perceived.
However, the warnings from groups like CDS Africa suggest that any move to sack EC leaders could be politically sensitive and controversial. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
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