General News of Tuesday, 3 July 2018

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Charlotte Osei’s dismissal ‘legally bankrupt, absurdly harsh, politically motivated’ - CSJ

Charlotte Osei, forer EC Chair play videoCharlotte Osei, forer EC Chair

The dismissal of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Charlotte Osei, by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is an “utter disgust” and an affront to the rule of law, the Coalition for Social Justice (CSJ) has said.

“We believe that this decision is a travesty of justice and an attack on our fledging and must therefore be resisted by all progress forces,” the coalition noted in a statement.

The EC Chair, together with her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwah, were relieved from their posts following findings of a Committee set up by the Chief Justice to probe petitions of corruption and abuse of office against them.

Findings from the Committee set up by Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo found the former EC Chair, among other things, culpable of breaching procurement laws in the award of a contract to Dream Oval and engaging the legal services of law firm Sory@Law.

According to a government statement issued Thursday and signed by Information Minister, Dr. Mustapha Hamid, the three top officials of the country's elections management body have been removed for “misbehaviour and incompetence”.



However, the statement read by the Convener of the CSJ, Sammy Gyamfi, to counter the Committee’s result said the group is convinced without reasonable doubt that Charlotte Osei’s discharge is “legally bankrupt, absurdly harsh and politically motivated” upon careful examination of the events and processes leading to the dismissal of the EC boss.

Sammy Gyamfi, addressing the media in Accra Tuesday, accused the Chief Justice of acting unlawfully, adding that the petition presented to President Akufo-Addo was incompetent and unrecognizable.



He further established that the allegations poses great danger for the peace and stability of Ghana hence, Coalition is resolute in fighting the course to ensure that justice is served Madam Charlotte Osei.