A Lecturer at the Wa campus of the University of Development Studies (UDS) has bemoaned the public utterances and conduct of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) and her deputy, saying it can spell doom for Ghana’s democracy.

Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw said the posture of Mrs. Jean Mensa and her deputy, Dr. Bossman Asare, if not checked, could destabilize the peace the country is currently enjoying.

His observations follow the attacks and counter-attacks between the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the leadership of the EC in recent times. Recently, Dr. Bossman Asare described the NDC as a “threat to the democracy” of the country, following a misunderstanding between the EC and the political party.

But in a statement, the lecturer said he was “outraged” when he heard the Deputy Chairperson for the Commission “describe the [opposition National Democratic Congress] NDC as a threat to the country’s democracy.”

“Such disastrous comments from someone who is supposed to be a Referee, remains distasteful and I think Dr. Bossman Asare must purge himself of such controversies, considering the bizarre circumstances under which he and his colleagues were appointed,” said Dr. Jasaw.

Below is Dr. Jasaw’s full statement.

The posture of EC’s Jean Mensah, Bossman Asare a recipe for disaster

Considering the strange circumstances under which the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and her deputies were appointed, many of us expected them to live above the occasion and prove their critics wrong by providing fairgrounds for all stakeholders in our electoral system.

Unfortunately, their public utterances, posture and work so far have not been impressive.

The unfortunate decision to deliberately or otherwise, invite the biggest opposition party in the country, only a few minutes to the start of an IPAC meeting was very shameful and regrettable.

Recent developments at the EC has proven, that the apology rendered to the NDC after that unfortunate incident, was not one that the Chairperson and her deputies drew any lessons from.

I was outraged when I heard the Deputy Chairperson for the Commission describe the NDC as a threat to the country’s democracy. In fact, he indicated that ” The actions of the NDC are gradually becoming a cause to worry for the peace and stability in the country”.



Such disastrous comments from someone who is supposed to be a Referee remains distasteful and I think Dr. Bossman Asare must purge himself of such controversies, considering the bizarre circumstances under which he and his colleagues were appointed.

If he continues to act as though his core mandate is to put smiles on the faces of elements in government, he will not only lose any integrity he has but also plunge the country into chaos.

I agree with all those who are strongly against EC’s decision to move the limited registration exercise from the electoral areas to the district offices.

I do not know how such an unwise decision will even help the ruling party. A decision to disenfranchise over 1 million eligible voters?

Does the commissioners of the EC, led by Ms. Jean Mensah understand their core mandate?

The EC has no excuse not to undertake this exercise at the electoral areas, giving the fact parliament has approved its budget for the exercise.

It will not be in the interest of the country, for the Commissioners to take an entrenched position on this matter, as it has the tendency to ruin the peace we enjoy as a country.

This is the point where we expect the various civil society organizations, the clergy, chiefs and all other relevant stakeholders to speak out.

We must speak against these ills before the irresponsible/political actions of some individuals, plunge this nation into a state of anarchy and despair.