General News of Wednesday, 4 July 2018

Source: peacefmonline.com

EC chairperson’s removal: Akufo-Addo has set a dangerous precedent – Alhaji Halidu

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

A member of the National Democratic Congress [NDC] communication team, Alhaji Haruna Halidu believes the removal of the Electoral Commission [EC] boss, Madam Charlotte Osei and her two deputies was premeditated by the New Patriotic Party [NPP] and not by any Procurement Act flaws as claimed.

According to him, it will be dangerous on the side of the President to say that the EC Chairperson was removed from her post per Procurement Laws, when those types of breaches have their allocated punishment.

He said President Akufo-Addo’s own actions are vindicating him every day as his behavior and actions clearly shows the caliber of person he is.

“It is a dangerous phenomenon to use the breaches of an act to cause the removal of the EC boss when the act has its own form of punishment . . . For the proceeds of Procurement Law, not even the President can escape it,” he stated.

He said Ghanaians are all witnesses to the fact that the NPP made lots of agitations and protests while in opposition concerning her appointment and that is exactly what they have just done.

However, Alhaji Halidu explained that following the bits and pieces of the cross examination of the EC boss and the final submission of the five-member committee, there is evidence of a serious conspiracy and traverse of justice.

“If NPP care to know, the law on Procurement states that the head of an entity has the mandate to sign contracts, so in this sense where did the EC boss go wrong with the Public Procurement Act, which caused her removal?” Alhaji Halidu questioned.

Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa, were removed from office in accordance with the recommendations of the Chief Justice's committee which probed numerous allegations levelled against them.