I write this with extreme reluctance. I disagreed vehemently and publicly with those who questioned the President's authority to name the E.C. Chairperson or his choice. However, I think she is off to a bad start.
After it became public that she continued on the board of a public corporation 6 months after her appointment, she appeared on Newsfile today. Amongst other things, she "hoped that whoever made this application will file a petition, we will respond when we get there."
Really, Madam? These are disturbing echoes of Afari-Gyan and Loretta Lamptey. Remember Afari Gyan's "go to court"? remark to the NPP? It tied up Ghana for 8 months or so. While I do not think Ms. Osei should lose her position because of this, she should have been contrite and expressed regret. If there was nothing wrong, why is she leaving the board of Reassurance?
Even before this faux pas, she had given me pause in her official capacity. On the last day of the presentation by political parties regarding the voters register, she undercut the credibility of the Committee the E.C. had established, the Crabbe Committee, by arguing against a new register in her remarks. That was egregious.
Today, Manasseh Azure Awene, a respected journalist, took to his facebook page to make the case for Ms. Osei. Amongst other things, he asserted that, "I cannot think of a more competent person for that position" Really, Manasseh?
Then he put in the coda that made him seem like Ms. Osei's PR person more than a respected journalist-- "Those who are still making noise about the new voters register, in my view, do not mean well for this country".
OH MANASSEH!! This sentence is unworthy of you. While I believe the parties must work with the E.C. to give us a credible register and election, questioning the patriotism of those who want a new register is wrong and unpatriotic!
Ms. Osei and indeed, the EC must be reminded forcefully that we do not have an ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, we have a COMMISSION, with collective powers. Hopefully, we shall hear more from the commission than the commissioner. Ms. Osei would do well to remember that conciliation and compromise, grounded in the constitution and commonsense would serve the Commission and Ghana better than "I put it to you" and "go to court".
The more we hear of the Commission and the less we hear about her personal lapses and decisions, the better it would be for her, the commission and for Ghana.
May God guide her, the EC and the parties and may he grant us peace in 2016.
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