The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa has debunked claims that her outfit has disrespected Parliament.
The commission yesterday, Saturday, November 8, 2020 addressed the legislature on its preparedness ahead of the polls after some Minority Members of Parliament questioned her absence in previous engagements between the House and the election management body.
However reacting to these concerns, Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensa clarified that she has never turned down an invitation to the house in her capacity as Chairperson.
“It is important to emphasize that this is the first time I have been invited by the House in my capacity as the EC Chairperson of the Electoral Commission. I have on no occasion turned down an invitation from the Parliament of Ghana.”
She explained that when the invitation was received, she and some other members of the commission were outside Accra and this was duly communicated to the Majority Leader for Parliament.
“Indeed, we received notice of your invitation to the commission on the night of Wednesday 4th November 2020 at the time when some of us were outside the jurisdiction, our deputy Chairman for Corporate services informed the Majority Leader about this and made arrangement for our presentation to be delivered to Parliament today.”
Jean Mensa stated that “as an individual who has been at the forefront of championing Ghana’s democratic development for 20 years, I respect and value the institutions of state and major institution being the Parliament of Ghana.”
Cite EC Boss for contempt
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu on Thursday, November 5, 2020, urged the Speaker of Parliament to cite the Jean Mensa for contempt of Parliament.
He claimed the failure of Jean Mensa to appear before the House to brief members on the Commission’s state of preparedness for the 2020 polls is profoundly disappointing.
“I should express my profound disappointment in the inability of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission or any of her deputies or any other member or management of our electoral process from not participating in this exercise that we are duly notified that she will be here. She must give reasons to Mr. Speaker why she should not be cited for contempt.”