Fred Forson, Leader of the Aggrieved Customers of Menzgold, has called on political parties to desist from making comments that could undermine the credibility and reputation of Electoral Commission (EC) officials and their deputies over appointments to the electoral management body.
He argued that political parties must respect the appointment process and refrain from discrediting qualified individuals selected to serve as Deputy Commissioners of the Electoral Commission.
Speaking during a panel discussion on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor FM 92.3 in Accra, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu, Mr Forson made the call in a discussion with Isaac Amuzu, a Tema West Communications Team member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr Forson observed that, throughout Ghana’s Fourth Republic, political parties had participated in the recruitment and appointment processes for various electoral support positions whenever vacancies were announced.
He, however, expressed concern that the two leading political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NPP, often generated controversy and issued strong criticisms whenever appointments were made to the Electoral Commission.
According to him, it was disappointing that political considerations continued to influence public discussions about the appointment of electoral officials, despite the collaborative role political parties play in the electoral process.
He explained that representatives of the various political parties participate in different stages of the electoral process, from the balloting of positions and the casting of votes to ballot accounting and the declaration of results.
Mr Forson maintained that Ghana’s electoral system had matured to a point where political parties should no longer expect electoral commissioners to help them win elections.
He stressed that elections were won at the polling station and urged political parties and other stakeholders to work together to promote free, fair and credible elections.
NPP Questions Appointment of EC Deputy
However, Isaac Amuzu, a Tema West Communications Team member of the NPP, criticised the NDC government over the appointment of a person he described as a party member to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
Mr Amuzu argued that such an appointment raised concerns about impartiality, suggesting that the appointee could face challenges remaining neutral because of the possibility of perceived loyalty to the authorities responsible for the appointment.
He maintained that, although the appointee might perform the duties effectively, concerns about potential political bias could affect public confidence in the Electoral Commission.
NPP Eyes Return to Power and Tema West Seat
On the political front, Mr Amuzu expressed confidence that the NPP would work towards regaining political power and recapturing the Tema West parliamentary seat.
He expressed concern about what he described as the limited visibility of the Member of Parliament for Tema West, James Enu, in the constituency, adding that the NPP was developing strategies to win back the seat in future elections.
Mr Amuzu also expressed confidence in his party’s flagbearer ahead of another presidential contest, stating that the NPP was determined to unseat the NDC government.
He added that the party had learnt lessons from its previous electoral experiences and was preparing to make the necessary adjustments.
Mr Amuzu further criticised the government’s economic performance, claiming that concerns about the state of the economy were also being expressed by some supporters of the governing NDC.
He argued that these concerns reflected dissatisfaction among sections of the electorate with the government’s performance.