The First deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei Wusu has dismissed as irresponsible claims by a section of Ghanaians that the ongoing impeachment process against the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) Charlotte Osei is politically motivated.
Some individuals believed to be staff of the Commission in July 2017 petitioned the President to remove Mrs. Osei over alleged abuse of office, causing financial loss to the state and breaches of Ghana’s procurement laws.
Also, a counter petition was sent to the president for the impeachment of Mrs. Osei’s two deputies—Amadu Sulley (In-charge-of-operations) and Georgina Amankwa (In-charge-of-Corporate Services).
The petitions were subsequently forwarded to the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, as required by law, to establish a prima facie case based on which impeachment proceedings would commence against Mrs. Osei and her two deputies.
The trio last week appeared before the Chief Justice over the allegations and where given three weeks to file their statement of response to the committee after which the hearing will continue.
Members of the opposition NDC have criticized the process and accused the presidency of instigating the entire process to get rid of the EC boss.
“Some of us in the NDC have the information that the faceless petition written against the EC boss was written by some people at the office of the President,” a former NDC MP for North Dayi in the Volta region George Loh alleged on Morning Starr Friday December 15, 2017.
But speaking to Ultimate News’ Ivan Heathcote-Fumador, Mr. Osei-Owusu said that critics of the ongoing process are ignorant and irresponsible with their comments.
“What are they complaining about? But because the person is called Charlotte Osei, the laws of Ghana should not apply to her? There are three people being investigated why are we singling out one? Is it the case that they have a special interest hoping that if she is retained it would give them advantage in election?” he wondered.
He continued that for those saying the process is politically motivated it is “either they are plainly irresponsible or mischievous. Either they are not reading the law or they are not reading it right or they are just being irresponsible.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.FM
