Election Watch Ghana has called for constitutional and legal changes to reinforce the independence, impartiality and credibility of the Electoral Commission of Ghana after Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah and Emelia Afi Agbenyo were appointed and inaugurated as Deputy Chairpersons.
In a press release dated October 14, 2026, the election observer group said repeated public concerns over the actual or perceived political affiliations of people appointed to the Commission demonstrated the need to reconsider the current appointments framework.
The organisation urged the President, Parliament, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to back constitutional amendments establishing a transparent, merit-based and widely consultative process for future appointments.
“The credibility of our elections must not depend solely on the integrity of individual officeholders but also on strong institutions that command public trust,” Election Watch Ghana said.
Concerns over political influence
Election Watch Ghana acknowledged that political affiliation by itself did not determine whether an individual could perform the role impartially. However, it said the appointment process must be capable of winning public confidence and reducing both the risk and perception of partisan influence.
Its stated aim is to see an Electoral Commission whose independence is secured by effective constitutional protections and reflected in impartial decisions and professional conduct.
The group also said credible elections required more than administrative experience. It identified operational expertise, technological competence and the ability to address the changing demands of modern election management as essential qualities.
It said greater weight should have been given to proven expertise in information technology, electoral systems, cybersecurity and election operations when selecting candidates for the two positions.
Because the new Deputy Chairpersons are at a relatively early stage in their leadership careers, Election Watch Ghana encouraged them to undertake relevant IT courses, specialist training and professional certifications. Areas it highlighted included election technology, cybersecurity, database management, electronic results management, data integrity and digital systems administration.
The organisation said those skills would enable the two officials to contribute more effectively to the modernisation and oversight of the Commission’s technology, especially systems used for voter registration, results collation, transmission, verification and reporting.
It further called on the Commission to subject its electoral technologies to rigorous testing and suitable independent audits. It said safeguards were needed against errors, manipulation, cyberattacks and unauthorised access, ensuring results were secure, transparent, verifiable and capable of commanding public confidence.
Expectations for new officials
Election Watch Ghana said the new Deputy Chairpersons should perform their responsibilities without fear, favour or political interference. Their primary duty, it said, must be to the Constitution of Ghana, electoral laws and the Ghanaian people, rather than to a political party, government or individual interest.
It also encouraged them to engage openly and constructively with political parties, civil society organisations, election observers, the media and voters while preserving the Commission’s independence.
Although it called for reform, the group congratulated both appointees and commended the President for advancing women’s representation in national leadership. It wished them wisdom, courage and success in their new roles.
Election Watch Ghana said it would continue to work constructively with the Commission while independently monitoring its performance in support of credible elections and democratic accountability.
“Ghana deserves an Electoral Commission that is independent in its decisions, competent in its operations, innovative in its systems, and accountable to the people,” it said.
