Opinions of Monday, 15 March 2021

Columnist: Ambassador Victor Smith

Open letter to Jean Adukwei Mensa from Ambassador Victor Smith

Former Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Victor Smith Former Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Victor Smith

Our dear Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa, many Ghanaians are still unhappy about your conduct as the returning officer in the 2020 elections.

I have sent a message to your vice Chairman Tettey as ff:

“Good day, Chief: you must have been aware that on Tuesday, Dec 8th ,2020, EC chairperson, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa, was preparing to announce the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections at 5pm at the International conference Centre when indeed the IT department and elections directorate hadn’t received the official results from the regions and that some of you senior staff prevailed on her to exercise restraint? Question is which result did she have, and more importantly, where did that result come from? “

Did any such thing happen?

Why, madam chairperson were you intending to make a declaration on Dec 8th based on figures from the NPP headquarters or figures from Jubilee house?

Is it true that you sidelined most of your colleague commissioners and took most of your critical decisions with Mr Bossman Asare and others from outside the EC?

And is it also true that you hurriedly got jubilee house to terminate the contract of some of your commissioners because they tried to get you to do the right things, even in the midst of the election controversies?

Your husband, Charles is someone I know quite well in public life and I am sure he can help you shoot straight with the truth because during the court hearing , I saw you nodding a few times, I believe, in agreement with Tsatsu Tsikata’s appeal for you to be cross-examined.

I can assure you many well-meaning Ghanaians will continue to ask questions about your unfortunate conduct in the 2020 elections until you confess to God and Country.

You must speak, Mrs Jean Mensa. I think you must agree to be cross-examined otherwise you are setting a bad example for unscrupulous public office holders to exploit at the expense of poor Ghana.