E.C. Chairperson faces new allegations in impeachment petition

About a week after she was honoured with the Woman of Courage Award by the U.S. government for her exceptional role during the 2016 elections, Ghana’s Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, has been hit with a petition that seeks to see her impeached.
The petitioner, “a concerned Ghanaian”, filed the petition on August 18 at the Presidency, according to sources.
The petition which was on the grounds of misbehavior and incompetence saw about 15 allegations being leveled against Mrs. Charlotte Osei and is demanding that the processes for her removal from her position begin.
Amongst the allegations listed in the petition is the unilateral award of contracts by Mrs. Osei in the run-up to last year’s general elections.
According to sources, President Akufo-Addo has forwarded the petition to Ghana’s Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, in accordance with Article 146 (3) of the 1992 constitution.
This petition brings to two, the number of petitions filed against the E.C. Chairperson seeking to have her investigated and impeached.
The first petition which contained 27 allegations in a letter was raportedly from anonymous E.C. employees and was signed by their lawyer, Maxwell Opoku Agyemang and dated 20 July, 2017.
In it, the aggrieved persons raised allegations which described Mrs. Charlotte Osei as incompetent and fraudulent.
In her response, Mrs. Charlotte Osei wrote a 27 point statement in July to counter the allegations from the first petition which sought for her impeachment.
 

• Godwin Kpade