A letter from the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) demanding that the Electoral Commission (EC) asks two of its officers to proceed on leave has been described as ‘unconstitutional’.
According to the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, “members of the EC have security of tenure and cannot be removed from office”.
EOCO, in a letter dated July 4, 2017, addressed to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei, said it is investigating “the loss of about GH¢480,000 from the Endowment Fund at the Electoral Commission.”
The Commission’s Deputy Chairperson in-charge of Finance and Administration, Georgina Opoku Amankwah, Chief Accountant, Kwaku Owusu Agyei-Larbi and Finance Officer, Joseph Kwaku Asamoah were said to have been identified by EOCO as the ‘suspects’.
The letter further stated that the officers in question should be made to proceed on leave, while investigations proceed.
Speaking to this issue on Saturday’s edition of Alhaji and Alhaji on Radio Gold, Kwesi Pratt said: “we should not condone wrongdoing…we should not impede state organisations in their jobs. Our constitution is clear that members of the Electoral Commission have security of tenure and cannot be removed from office. I do not see how EOCO under any circumstance can remove an officer from office. My fear is that if this is allowed to pass, tomorrow the Chief Justice may be asked to go on leave. It can set a very dangerous precedent. This does not also mean all is well at the EC…removing this lady from office is an affront to the constitution”
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
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MR PRATT IT'S LOOKS LIKE ANYTIME YOU ARE ON ALHAJI AND ALHAJI IT SEEMS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING.THIS IS A CRIMINAL MATTER EOCO IS DEALING WITH.ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING EC HAS THE RIGHT TO DO ANYTHING THEY WANT?MASSA LEARN AND LEARN WELL.
Kwesi Pratt has said nothing. He doesn't seem to understand what he is purporting to talk about. What has tenure got to do with disciplinary procedure. Both EOCO and EC are wrong but not because one of the officers is a Commissioner. In fact Kwesi should know that all EC staff do not have the same terms and conditions of service. Kwesi you do not need to comment on every issue. Learn from others who refrain from commenting when they don't have competence in the subject area.
People should always be analytical, KWASI was right why because,the judges were caught and shown on video at the national theater for everybody to see. As for this, investigation is ongoing, why not finish with it before taking nny action? Just one comment, you are calling a senior international journalist 'so called'.God have mercy on you.
I am surprised by this comment from this so called senior journalist. What does he mean when he claims somebody has tenure of office? Does he mean that because of that clause such people can go about doing whatever they like to do? Has this so called journalist forgotten that a CHRAJ Commissioner was recently removed from office despite the same clause? What happened to the judges who were caught in the Anas expose. When reading the constitution we tend to read part of the text and leave of the rest to have a complete understanding just to create confusion in the minds of people. The EOCO wrote to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission about what is happening. It was up to the Chairman of the Commission to take the necessary step in accordance with the law as stated in the constitution. Please do not use the chance you get on the electronic media to cause confusion in our country. If you have little knowledge about a particular subject, you can refuse to comment.
This journalist is completely out of order. People have deducted for pension purposes and you are in Administration and you utilize the money for another purpose. When funds comes you refuse to reconcile and reconciliations run on from the former EC boss time to the New EC boss time.This is malfescance and they must sit aside for the investigation to be révéled
The NDC and their cronies are seriously losing more favour with Ghanaians. They were seriously use1ess in government and they are fast becoming a first class clown minority.
Why is this man misleading people? EOCO has not sacked anybody. EOCO has asked that these officials should step aside so investigations would go on. If they are found culpable there are processes that would then be followed.Mr Pratt, have you paused once to asked why your mate Kwaku Baako commands so much respect and love whiles you are looked upon with derision all the time? You are constantly doing propaganda work and almost never say things that contribute to the promotion of democracy in the country.Are you saying that if the Chief Justice commits acts that are against our constitution because she has security of tenure she would be left off the hook? Remember the former CHRAJ Commissioner? Be serious .You are making a mockery of yourself because of self interest.
Let get this straight,EOCO did wrote to EC chair recommending, and chair wrote to the affected officers. She could choose not to, especially for the finance director who wasn't at post when the issue happened.
N.p.p will loose 2020 election ,bcos they not hrere to work, they to power to amess worth .N.p.p anytime Evil people r in power some money evil things happen,look at what we see today in Ghana.N..P .P ***barred word***.
seriously speaking i had regretted of voting for Nana Addo ,during the campaign Nana and his man came to Connecticut to solicite for funds to win the Election,but after they have won, luk at the mess they r also creating,i have Advice alot of Ghanaians here Never shld any body contribute any money again,Nana Addo promise from Haven and Earth that import duties r going to be reduce drastically today luk at what we here, at the port,its the same old story.instead of them to concentrate the task ia head of them ,they have also started ***barred word***,BOST Awarding contract for themselves.Kwasi Pratt God richly bless u for the gud work done u r doing to help mother Ghana,