The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission may be summoned to Parliament if there are any hiccups with processes towards the upcoming elections.
This was made known by Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu.
He said Parliament is so far satisfied with the electoral arrangements and see no point in summoning her however if it notes challenges with the processes later, it will invite the commission to brief the House on the development.
“The explanations that she offered was satisfactory to us, and we are able to report to plenary and so why would anybody insist that even though we are satisfied, she should still come? If it becomes necessary, maybe we ran into a hiccup or a bump, which will require the EC to be with us, [we will invite her].”
The Minority side in August demanded the summoning of officials of the Commission to respond to concerns about the electoral process, but the Suame MP said that is not immediately necessary.
In June 2020, the Electoral Commission appeared before the Special Budget Committee of Parliament to respond to questions relating to the compilation of a new register ahead of this year’s December 7 elections.
That meeting ended with the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu expressing disappointment and grave concern that the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa’s responses were unconvincing.
“Having listened to her, I feel profoundly troubled in my heart for the future of Ghana’s democracy and I feel disappointed that in her answers to questions at the committee-level, she made two significant worrying statements that the people of Ghana must know”, Tamale South MP remarked after the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is receiving nomination forms from presidential and parliamentary aspirants ahead of the 2020 polls.