General News of Monday, 9 October 2017
Source: citifmonline.com
2017-10-09
Charlotte Osei, EC Chairperson
The petitioner seeking the removal of the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, has withdrawn the application challenging the legitimacy of the lawyer representing the EC boss.
The petitioner had earlier argued that, Thaddeus Sory should not be allowed to represent Charlotte Osei.
But in a U-turn, lawyer for the petitioner, Julius Opoku Agyei, said the withdrawal has become necessary because their client Maxwell Opoku Agyemang has caused another lawyer to enter appearance on his behalf in the same matter in a different court.
The application for withdrawal was granted by the presiding Justice Ackaah- Boafo.
In his ruling, the judge said he was minded to grant the application because there was no rule that stops him from doing same. He further awarded cost of four thousand cedis in favour of the lawyer for the EC Chairperson.
Background
There is a petition forwarded to the Presidency from unnamed EC staff who are being led by Lawyer Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, against Mrs. Osei, which is pending before the Chief Justice.
In the initial petition, a litany of allegations have been leveled against her, including spending GH¢3.9 million to partition an office, receipt of a Toyota Land Cruiser from the erstwhile John Mahama NDC government, spending about $14 million when the Public Procurement Authority had authorized her to use only $7.5 million, as well as attending Cabinet meetings during the tenure of the President John Mahama, among other issues.
Fresh petition
A new petition was subsequently filed for the impeachment of Charlotte Osei.
The petition was filed on August 18, 2017 at the Presidency, and is demanding that a process to remove the EC boss should be commenced over alleged breaches of public procurement practices and provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663), as well as gross financial mismanagement.
Unconfirmed reports say the petitioner is not an employee of the EC, but a concerned Ghanaian who wants the conduct of Mrs. Osei to be investigated on grounds of stated misbehaviour and incompetence.
