Joyce Bawah Mogtari, special aide to President-elect John Dramani Mahama, has called for the position of the Chair person of the Electoral Commission (EC) to be advertised and vetted by Parliament.
She raised concerns over the level of ineptitude and inefficiency largely attributed to the partisans appointed to the Commission and the chaotic handling of the 2024 elections.
“The appointment process needs reform. The level of ineptitude we witnessed during this year’s elections is largely due to partisans being appointed to such a critical institution,” Mogtari remarked.
Mogtari’s concerns stem from the chaotic handling of the elections, which saw delays in result collation, disputes over declared outcomes, and allegations of misconduct.
She argued that such lapses could have been avoided if the leadership of the EC was chosen through a transparent and merit-based process.
“Our democracy demands that the EC operates as a truly independent body, free from the influence of partisan interests,” she added.
She proposed that Parliament play a more active role in the vetting and approval of candidates for the Chairperson position, insisting that this reform is necessary to restore public confidence in Ghana’s electoral system.
Madam Mogtari concluded by emphasising that credible elections are the cornerstone of democracy and urged the nation to prioritise electoral reforms to safeguard the country’s democratic gains.