Election C’tee: EC parries Amidu flak

The Electoral Commission (EC) has rejected claims by former Attorney General, Martin Amidu that the inclusion of representatives from statutory bodies on its steering committee will compromise their watchdog role over the EC.

Mr Amidu, in the latest of his epistles, questioned the presence of bodies such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and the National Peace Council (NPC), on the committee, arguing that their inclusion will compromise their independence.

But speaking in an interview with Class News, acting Public Affairs Director of the EC, Christian Owusu Parry, said the commission had done nothing wrong in co-opting members from such independent bodies.

“That committee is not a body that is going to conduct elections. The committee has been put in place just to share information and for collaboration with the commission on matters that affect or concern elections, especially because they also have key roles to play insofar as elections are concerned,” he said.

Mr Parry noted that the EC acted in accordance with the mandate given to it by the constitution and those bodies also execute their functions in accordance with the constitution. “So, if they have been co-opted onto a committee to prompt the EC or maybe offer advice on issues to the EC, I do not think that compromises their position.”

He said there were other bodies that were independent under the constitution, yet were sometimes asked to serve on other committees.