General News of Monday, 24 July 2017
Source: citifmonline.com
2017-07-24
Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei has accused the Deputy Chair of Operations, Amadu Sulley of persistently effecting illegal vote transfers from his office on the Voter management system.
Charlotte Osei, who believes this is in clear breach of the law and operational policies of the Commission is insisting such actions have “major implications for the integrity of the work of the Commission and constitutes an abuse of office.”
Mrs. Osei made this revelation in her response to a petition by employees of EC calling for her removal.
Her response which was filed by her Lawyer, Thadeaus Sory also made other damning allegations against Mr. Sulley including a claim that the latter illegally bagged 6 million from political parties.
“The Deputy Chair Operations collected above funds six million Ghana cedis in cash from political parties for the organisation of party primaries without recourse to the structures of the Commission, without the involvement of the finance department of the Commission.”
“Political party primaries were treated as a private commercial project by the Deputy Chair Operation with funds paid directly into the personal accounts of key staff for functions to be performed for party primaries”
She has vowed to order a full-scale investigation into the conduct of Mr. Sulley and other Commissioners believed to be flouting rules governing the Commission.
EC Deputy Chair ‘illegally’ signed over GHC40m contract
Meanwhile, Mrs Osei has accused deputy Chairperson of the Commission of illegally signing contracts worth over GHC 40 million without her approval.
“It is worth pointing out, that while the Chairperson is persistently accused of arrogance and taking unilateral decisions, there is ample evidence of extreme arrogance, ineptitude and blatant breaches of the law by the Deputy Chairpersons. The Deputy Chairperson F/A has signed contracts worth over GHS40m without knowledge and authorization of the Chairperson between July-September 2015,” she said.
She further stated that “payments were also made on these contracts in excess of her approval limits and again, without the knowledge and authorization of the Chairperson.”
This, according to the EC Chairperson is “illegal, criminal and a breach of the policies of the Commission and the laws of Ghana.”
The Deputy Chair Ops has persistently affected illegal vote transfers from his office on the Voter management System in clear breach of the law and operational policies of the Commission. Such actions have major implications for the integrity of the work of the Commission and constitute an abuse of office.
