"Current calls for dismissal of EC chair, deputies signals more dangerous political direction" — Manhyia South MP

Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has cautioned that growing calls for the removal of the Electoral Commission’s leadership represent a dangerous political trend that could erode Ghana’s democratic foundations.

Speaking on an Accra-based radio station on Thursday, Nana Awuah described the latest calls by National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah for the dismissal of EC Chair Jean Mensa and her deputies as a continuation of politically motivated attacks on independent state institutions.

“We should be worried because this is an indication of things to come. They said they would remove the Chief Justice, and it happened. The same Asiedu Nketiah made those statements, later supported by his deputy Mustapha Gbande, and we are all witnesses to what has unfolded,” he warned.

According to the Manhyia South MP, demands for the removal of the EC Chair and her deputies risk deepening political polarization and undermining public trust in the nation’s democratic processes.

“Today, they are telling us they believe the EC and her deputies should be removed. This signals what lies ahead—and it's dangerous,” Nana Awuah stressed.

He questioned whether Ghana’s democratic institutions could withstand a future where every change in government leads to the replacement of key independent officials like the Chief Justice or the EC Chair.

“Are we moving toward a system where every new administration brings its own Chief Justice and Electoral Commission? Is that healthy for our democracy? Certainly not. It is dangerous, and we must not allow it to become the norm,” he emphasized.

His comments come in response to recent statements by Asiedu Nketiah, who on June 25 called for the dismissal of Jean Mensa and her deputies, citing issues such as the disenfranchisement of the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) residents during the 2020 general elections and the ongoing Ablekuma North parliamentary dispute.

The NDC Chairman argued that under Jean Mensa’s leadership, the Electoral Commission has exhibited a pattern of incompetence that threatens the credibility of future elections.

However, Nana Awuah insists that the politicization of independent state institutions must be resisted to safeguard Ghana’s democratic stability.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith