Kwesi Pratt Breaks Silence on Emelia Agbenyo’s EC Appointment

Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr has raised concerns about the appointment of Emelia Affi Agbenyo as a Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), questioning whether individuals with reported political affiliations should be considered for positions at the electoral management body.

President John Dramani Mahama swore in Ms Agbenyo and Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah as Deputy Chairpersons of the EC on Monday, October 12.

Their appointments followed the resignation of Dr Bossman Asare and the retirement of Samuel Tettey.

The appointments have attracted criticism from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), which alleges that Ms Agbenyo was actively associated with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and participated in the party’s 2024 election campaign.

Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show on Tuesday, October 13, Pratt expressed concern over Ms Agbenyo’s reported involvement in the NDC’s manifesto team, raising questions about the potential implications for public confidence in the independence of the Electoral Commission.

He also drew comparisons with the controversy surrounding the appointment of Dr Peter Appiahene to the EC in 2023.

At the time, the nomination faced criticism from the NDC and some political commentators over allegations of his links to the NPP.

Pratt argued that similar standards should be applied to appointments to the Commission, regardless of which political party is in government.

He emphasised the importance of consistency in assessing the suitability of nominees to an institution responsible for overseeing Ghana’s elections.

The veteran journalist questioned whether Ghana, with its population of approximately 35 million at the time of the discussion, lacked qualified individuals without reported involvement in political party manifesto teams who could serve on the Commission.

Source: https://www.modernghana.com/news/1535722/cant-ghana-find-non-partisan-people-for-ec-positi.html

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