In a revealing interview with Channel One TV’s Umaru Sanda, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, the Special Aide to former President John Mahama, voiced strong criticisms against the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, calling for a complete overhaul of its leadership. Apexnewsgh reports
Mogtari asserted that the current chairperson, Jean Mensa, must resign, emphasizing that her departure would demonstrate a much-needed sense of honour. She pointed to the presence of partisan workers within the commission as a significant issue, claiming that this partisanship had led to unfair treatment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party led by Mahama.
According to Mogtari, the EC’s actions had pushed citizens to their limits, contributing to incidents of post-election violence. “I was thinking the EC Chairperson would resign yesterday,” she said, expressing her disappointment. “They’ve been incompetent, to say the least. There are too many partisans there, all the arm-twisting.”
She highlighted a critical moment during the election, stating that a delay in declaring results had not been well received. “One of the reasons for the pockets of violence is that the EC took too long to declare the results. A lot of impatient people out there were dissatisfied,” she noted. Mogtari argued that a competent organization should strive for efficiency, suggesting that the EC should have declared results far earlier than they did.
Mogtari also pointed out the consequences of the EC’s mistakes, lamenting the cost of destroyed and burnt ballot sheets due to what she deemed elementary errors by the commission. She praised the NDC’s technical team for their efforts in ensuring that the upcoming 2024 elections would be fair, stating that their vigilance had kept the EC in check.
Reflecting on what she would have done in Mensa’s position, Mogtari stated, “Were I Mrs. Jean Mensa, I would have resigned right after the declaration of results.” She referenced Mensa’s statement following the results announcement, quipping, “Like she said, ‘It is finished.’ It should be finished for her as well.”
In her concluding remarks, Mogtari reiterated the need for significant reform within the EC. She expressed hope that this overhaul would be part of the NDC’s proposed constitutional amendment agenda for 2025, advocating for the removal of all biased personnel. “She [Jean Mensa] has displayed enormous prejudice and bias towards the NDC. She should go, and I think she ought to respect herself and leave,” she asserted.
With these compelling arguments, Joyce Bawah Mogtari made it clear that the integrity of the electoral process is paramount, and the EC must be held accountable to restore citizens’ confidence.
Source: Apexnewsgh reports
