Buck Up Or Face Vote Of No Confidence – Minority To Jean Mensa

The Minority in Parliament is threatening to initiate “a vote of no confidence” against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission if she does not improve her work.

According to Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa is supervising a regime which has suffered a decline in public confidence.

He further criticized her handling of challenges associated with the EC’s data Centre, registration of new persons who turn 18 and the implementation of ROPAA.
Haruna Iddrisu made these remarks during contributions to a statement on the implementation of ROPAA.

“The Electoral…Commissioner must up her game or else we will call for her head… My faith in the Electoral Commission is waning,” he warned.

The Peoples Representation Amendment Act known as ROPAA is the law passed to allow Ghanaian citizens living abroad to vote in general elections.

Because government supports the EC financially in excess of GHc 350 million, Mr. Iddrissu insisted that the commission does not have an excuse for underperforming.

“Mr. Speaker, they don’t have any challenges. That is why I am saying that she must up her game. The dates system of the electoral commission cannot even conduct district assembly elections.”

“We should even have an Electoral Commission which makes it mandatory that on daily basis, Ghanaians can walk to them to when they attain 18 to register for the purpose of voting,” Mr. Iddrisu said.

Backlash from NDC

Jean Mensa has faced consistent criticism from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) since she was sworn in in August 2018.

The NDC had even threatened to stage a demonstration after the previous chairperson, Charlotte Osei was removed from office together with her two deputies on June 28, 2018, for stated misbehaviour and incompetence.

At the time, the NDC said it should be consulted before Jean’s Mensa’s appointment.

The opposition party also fears Jean Mensa may be a pawn of the governing New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2020 elections.

Former President John Mahama in also described the nomination of four new officials to the Commission as a “regrettable” decision.