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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed 'shock and sadness' over the decision by President Nana Akufo-Addo to remove Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei as well as her two deputies from office.

“We learn with shock and sadness the decision of president Akufo-Addo to terminate the appointments of EC Chair and her two deputies..." Kofi Adams said.

The National Organiser who was addressing the press Thursday at the party's headquarters added that "we demand almost immediately that they must give us reasons for which they think that the chairperson and her two deputies should be removed from office. The attempt and the fear for which reason they have set out to remove an arbiter of our elections so that they can rig the 2020 elections” 



Background

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has fired Madam Charlotte Osei, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwah.

Their removal from office takes immediate effect.

According to a statement signed by the Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid and copied Peacefmonline.com, their dismissal "comes after a committee set up by the Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, pursuant to Article 146(4) of the Constitution, to investigate separate complaints brought against the three persons by Ghanaian citizens, recommended their removal from office".

The statement further indicated that, "the Committee recommended their removal on the basis of stated misbehavior and incompetence, pursuant to Article 146 (1) of the Constitution".

Additionally, the three persons have been directed by the President, who thanked them for their services to the nation, to hand over their respective schedules to the Director for Human Resource and General Services of the EC.

“The provisions of Article 146 (9) of the Constitution require the President of the Republic to act in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee," the statement said.