Charlotte Osei’s impeachment not political – Ayariga

Founder and Leader of the All People’s Congress (APC) Hassan Ayariga, has said, steps taken by the Chief Justice to probe the Chair of the electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei and two of her deputies Amadu Sulley (in charge of Operations), and Georgina Amankwa (in charge of Corporate Services), is not poltically motivated.

According to him, given the importance of the institution these personalities are working for, it was necessary to look into allegations of corruption and abuse of office levelled against the officials.

Mrs Osei is expected to answer for six allegations out of the 27 accusations levelled against her by her two deputies Amadu Sulley (in charge of Operations), and Georgina Amankwa (in charge of Corporate Services).

This was after she appeared before the Chief Justice at the Supreme Court on Monday, December 11, after the President forwarded a petition by Forson Ampofoh and Godsway Dzado, both drivers at the EC office for her impeachment in relation to alleged corruption and mismanagement.

The two deputies are to also answer for their alleged roles in the disappearance of some GHS480,000 from the EC’s Endowment Fund, among other allegations.

Mrs Osei, who was present at the hearing with her lawyer explained that she has not been officially served with the petition. She has therefore written to the presidency to furnish her with a copy of the petition.

She has also written to the Judicial Service to provide her with reasons why she has been asked to appear before the committee even though she has not officially received a copy of the petition to be privy to the accusations levelled against her.

Speaking on this matter in an interview with Obeng Mensah, sit-in host of Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Tuesday December 12, Mr Ayariga said : “With regards to the EC boss and her two other deputies, the matter has been referred to the Chief Justice and she has also actually probed into the matter and has given them three weeks to respond.

“I think that this is a matter that is of keen interest to every Ghanaian and any political leader because those who are supposed to appoint or to take us through elections and finally announce who the winner of that election is, are questionable now. It is the body that we are looking at not the individuals, the EC is an institution and whoever occupies that institution must not be corrupt, must not abuse power, must be willing to serve this country free and fair without tag to any political party no matter the situation.

“But when we find ourselves in a situation where Ghanaians have petitioned the president and not a political party, for me where I sit and where I stand I don’t see it as being a witchhunt from the other side of the political divide. “I don’t speak for the NPP, I speak for the APC and this is how I see it because the petitioners are members of the Ghanaian community, they are members of the EC who think that two of their deputies including their boss are misappropriating funds, certainly it is the duty of the president to channel it to the Chief Justice for the CJ to advice.”

He added: “The EC boss herself has also come out to level allegations against her two deputies so if one says it is a political party behind it why will the EC boss herself also come out to level allegations at her own two deputies. This means this has nothing to do with political parties and their activities. This is an internal problem between the EC boss and her deputies.”