Opinions of Wednesday, 10 February 2021

Columnist: Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba

Jean Mensa needs to mount the witness box

Jean Mensa, Chairperson, Electoral Commission Jean Mensa, Chairperson, Electoral Commission

When an expert or a person is vested with the constitutional responsibility to perform certain statutory duties, and the expert hires a lawyer about his/her official and statutory duties, the expert ought to be giving instructions to the lawyer and not the other way around.

Madam Jean Mensa is charged with the constitutional responsibility to ensure the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections in Ghana.

So even, if her lawyers advised her against mounting the witness box, she should reject the advice. This is because the ongoing petition hearing is not just about who wins and who loses or about personal interest, it is more about our collective interest as a country.

Madam Jean Mensa’s evidence will the Supreme Court to make some recommendations, which could help promote free, fair and transparent elections in the future.