The Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-GHANA), a Civil Society Organization (CSO), has called for the immediate resignation of Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani as Deputy Electoral Commissioners.

The two are being accused of being stout members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and as a result, their membership on the electoral commission board would influence the operations of the commission.

It can be recalled that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo proposed Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani to serve as deputies on the electoral commission board.

The appointment of the two raised a lot of public discussions, especially from the main opposition, the NDC.

They argued that the president is appointing NPP faithful onto the board of the electoral commission to manipulate it to favour the NPP in the 2024 general election.

On the back of this, CFF-GHANA in a statement dated August 9, 2023, described the appointment and subsequent approval by the Council of State as detrimental to Ghana's democracy.

“The Council of State's approval of the nomination of NPP activists, Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani as Deputy Electoral Commissioners was ill-conceived and dangerous to Ghana's democracy,” part of the statement read.

The CSO also highlighted the response of the Council of State to concerns raised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding the appointments.

Referencing the letter, CFF-GHANA indicated that the said response from the Council of State is woefully inadequate in addressing the concerns raised by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“The Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) has become aware of a letter in circulation believed to be emanating from the Council of State purported to be its response to concerns brought to the Council by the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the appointment of two known activists of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) including Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani respectively.

“We consider the content of the said letter pedestrian and a joke. In fact, the most piercing and annoying part of the Council's letter to the public has to do with their reference to studying the Curriculum Vitaes (CVs) of the said politically exposed personalities and recommending the same to the President for appointment,” the statement continued.

CFF-GHANA also argued that the Council's stance undermines the credibility of the electoral process which is a necessary balance for Ghana's democracy.

It, therefore, called for a stronger commitment to the values that protect the country’s democratic foundations.

“If the Council has any respect for the democracy which brought it into being, and the special mandate it must serve under Article 70(2) of the 1992 Constitution, it would have spared Ghanaians such a compromised and irritating response. It's important to put on record that the ill-conceived advice by the Council of State to the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo on the appointment of known NPP activists is dangerous to our young democracy,” the statement continued.

In the interest of upholding Ghana's evolving democracy, CFF-GHANA called for the immediate resignation of Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani from their positions as Deputy Electoral Commissioners.

The organization expressed the belief that the resignation of the two would help restore public confidence in the Electoral Commission and promote trust among all political stakeholders.

“In the spirit of protecting Ghana's fledgling democracy, CFF-Ghana is by this release demanding the immediate resignation of Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani from office as Deputy Commissioners of the EC to help in rebuilding public confidence to win the trust of all political stakeholders in Ghana and beyond,” the statement added.

NW/DO

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