EC row: Parliament tasks EC Chair, deputies to formulate regulations

Joy News sources say the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) and her six deputies have been directed by Parliament to prepare a Constitutional Instrument that will guide their work.
Parliament believes that the regulation, which will have a force of law, will be a permanent solution to the ongoing disagreement between the EC Chair, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, and two of her deputies.
The directive was given at a closed meeting held Wednesday between Mrs Osei and the leadership of Parliament, Joy News insiders reveal.

The closed door meeting became necessary as the internal wrangling at the EC escalated between Mrs. Osei on one hand and two of her deputies – Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa – on the other.

Charlotte Osei (L) and Amadu Sulley

Joy News Editor, Fred Smith, revealed Thursday morning that the highlight of the meeting, according to the sources, was that Mrs. Osei and her six Commissioners will draft and bring to Parliament the Constitutional Instrument for approval.




“This C.I. will spell out the specific roles of all Commissioners and other officers so there are no further conflicts in their work. We understand that at the meeting, Mrs. Charlotte Osei expressed reservation over the unfair treatment given her by her deputy commissioners including a claim that some of them even go on leave without informing her,” said Fred.

The EC Chairperson has been on a war path against two of her six deputies, accusing them of administrative incompetence and blatant breaches of financial regulations.

Charlotte Osei in a response to an impeachment petition brought against her by some unnamed EC workers cited her deputies, Mr Sulley and Mrs. Amankwaa, for various acts of financial malfeasance and breach of procedure.

At the closed door meeting yesterday, the leadership of the House also agreed that Mrs. Osei’s resignation will not exactly fix the problem because it is structural, contrary to calls for her to step down over the row.

Source:Myjoyonline