The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Richard Ahiagbah has said that the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Joseph Whittal is a known member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said this to counter claims that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed politically-exposed persons affiliated to the NPP to the Electoral Commission (EC).
Speaking on the mid day news with Martin Asiedu Darteh on TV3 Thursday, April 6, Mr Ahiagbah said “This is the established fact, this is a 2016 fact that is proven” that Joseph Whittal is a member of the NDC.
He further stated that politically-exposed persons have in the past been appointed to the EC but that did not affect the outcome of the elections.
The focus should be on how to strengthen the political system and not on who is affiliated to one party or the other, he added.
“History tells us that people who are affiliated to political parties have been appointed to the EC and that did not do anything to change the electoral outcome and so our focus should be on how we strengthen our electoral system. So the call to say an individual who has not been proven to be an NPP person, I am not sure if you are asking them to prove it they can,” he stressed.
Leading members of the NDC are accusing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of appointing known activists of NPP to sensitive positions in the country such as the EC.
For instance Member of Parliament for Buem, Kofi Adams stated on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Tuesday, March 21 that one of the newly-appointed persons to the EC, Dr Peter Appiahene was a known NPP activist who is a member of the communications team of the party in the Bono Region.
“Clearly, there is everything wrong with the persons the president has appointed. The President has appointed known activists of the NPP,” he said.
“President Akufo-Addo has been appointing persons known to be NPP activists, we saw the Bossman Asares and the Jean Mensas.
“Dr Peter Appiahene is known NPP activist in the Bono Region, he is a member of the NPP communications team in the Bono region,” he added.
Mr Akufo-Addo on Monday, March 20 swore in three new members of the EC.
The three new members – Dr Peter Appiahene, Madam Salima Ahmed Tijani and Reverend Akua Ofori Boateng – were sworn in at a short ceremony at the Jubilee House.
Their appointment came 21 months to the next major elections.
The President said “I have always fought for and advocated for a credible electoral process in Ghana. In emphasizing the importance of the credibility of elections, it must be pointed out that the counting, collation and declaration of results cannot and should not be more important than the sacred God-given right of the citizen casting his or her ballot.
“I have said it before and I will repeat it, elections are about those who cast their vote, not those who count, not those who supervise, not those who transmit and not those who declare. The heart of the democratic process is giving effect to the choices made by those who cast the votes.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana