The MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT wishes to condemn unreservedly the calls by some groups and individuals for the resignation of Ghana’s astute electoral umpire Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan.
MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT is a research and advocacy think tank whose aim among others is to promote participatory democracy and responsible governance. We believe in the basic tenets of democracy which include Rule of Law, Freedom of Speech and Expression, Freedom of the Press, Respect for Human Rights among others which we have championed over the period.
We believe nonetheless that strengthening of national institutions is a pre-requisite to having a strong democracy in a nation as witnessed with the peaceful resolution of the electoral dispute by the Supreme Court ofGhana.This to us is a remarkable feat chalked by Ghana and our democracy and we must all pat ourselves in the shoulder.
We however alarmed by the burgeoning trend of attacks on the person of the EC boss Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan.We can vividly recall that on November 21,2011,the General Secretary of the NPP,Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie described Dr Afari Gyan as “an imprisoned Kweku Ananse”.
Another NPP former MP for Asokwa constituency Maxwell Kofi Jumah described him as “irresponsible public official” on the September 11,2013 on an Accra based radio station Asempa fm.An NPP journalist based in the UK called Agyeman Katakyie Kwame Opoku described Afari Gyan as “living dead”.
As if these were not enough, scribes from some facets of the political divide have pounced on him with undue pressure and calls for him to jettison his constitutionally accredited mandate.
We find these actions very preposterous and “shameful” and consider it an affront to constitutional democracy which clearly spells out the mandate and terms of appointment and removal of an Electoral Commission Chairman in Article 46 of the 1992 Ghana constitution.
We are therefore of the candid opinion that no individual or for that matter institution is impeccable as witnessed in the Supreme court election petition proceedings where documents of both petitioners and respondents were fraught with errors and irregularities as well as the even the final judgment.
We believe that with the necessary gradual reforms our institutions will continue to improve.
Also we believe that with the credentials and past successes chalked by the EC boss Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan including being appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Interim National Election Commission by the PNDC,Executive Secretary of the Association of African Election Authorities, Chairman of Committee of Experts advising on Nigeria Election and successfully superintending both Presidential and Parliamentary
elections in Ghana in 1996,2000,2004,2008 and 2012 which have seen different political parties coming to power,such a person merits a deserving national accolade to climax his selfless service to his nation rather than the lampoon and bastardization which he has been subjected to.
We hereby call on all well meaning Ghanaians and Civil Soceity Groups like the National Peace Council, Christian Council of Ghana,Ahmaddiyah Missions et al to condemn these unwarranted attacks on such a sensitive National Institution.
Nuhu Umar (member) 0244443962
Ekow Sey (member) 0243401443
Stephen Sackey(member) 0249507747
Philip Abusah(member) 0244034052

Issued in Accra
Date :12th September,2013