The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has launched a fiery critique of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC), calling for a comprehensive overhaul of its leadership and operations.
Speaking on JoyNews’ ‘PM Express’, Asiedu Nketia, popularly known as “General Mosquito”, asserted that the current state of the EC renders it “not fit for purpose.” He cited unresolved electoral disputes and alleged negligence as key reasons for his call for reform.
“We are having the wrong election management body in place,” he stated emphatically. “That is a subject of reset in the future.”
Expounding on the term “reset,” the NDC Chairman explained it as a demand for restructuring the institution into one that meets its constitutional mandate. “The way it is existing now, it’s not fit for purpose. You cannot have, with all the laws that we have, an election that will go into a stalemate,” he said, referencing ongoing issues in Ablekuma North, where a Member of Parliament has yet to be sworn in six months after elections.
Asiedu Nketia argued that this stalemate exemplifies the Commission’s alleged failure to effectively manage elections and enforce Ghana’s electoral laws. “This is a clear case of negligence or inability to perform its functions,” he added.
His comments come amidst growing calls from some political factions for reforms within the EC. However, the institution has yet to formally respond to Asiedu Nketia’s remarks.
The NDC Chairman’s critique underscores a broader debate about the independence and functionality of Ghana’s election management body.