Government wanted to ‘tilt the balance’ with new EC appointments – Kwakye Ofosu

Emilia Afi Agbenyo and Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah are the two officials recently appointed as deputy chairpersons of Ghana’s Electoral Commission. They were sworn in together. Their roles place them within the body responsible for managing Ghana’s elections. The appointments matter because the Commission’s independence and political neutrality affect public trust.

Agbenyo has attracted particular scrutiny because the NPP says she joined NDC campaign activities and served as a spokesperson for the party’s manifesto committee on governance. Those activities have led the opposition to question whether she can be seen as neutral. The government acknowledges that some concerns are legitimate.

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu says Agbenyo’s conduct in office should address those concerns. At the swearing-in ceremony, President John Dramani Mahama told both appointees to work independently and impartially. He stressed that no party or candidate should receive preferential treatment. Their actions in office will therefore shape confidence in their appointments.

Ghana’s Electoral Commission, or EC, is the public body that manages Ghana’s elections. Its importance goes beyond organising voting. It must also be trusted to treat political parties and candidates fairly. The article presents the EC’s independence and impartiality as central concerns because its commissioners oversee the country’s elections.

The EC has seven commissioners, according to the government spokesperson’s description. The current dispute concerns whether its political composition appears balanced. Felix Kwakye Ofosu argued that almost four commissioners were associated with the NPP. He said appointing an NDC member could change that balance.

The controversy shows why the Commission’s work is closely watched. The NPP says Agbenyo’s past NDC activities could affect confidence in the EC. The government says her conduct in office should be the test. President Mahama also instructed the new deputy chairpersons to act independently, impartially, and without favouring any party or candidate.

Ghana’s Electoral Commission is described in the article as having seven commissioners who manage the country’s elections. The number matters because the government is arguing that the Commission’s political makeup should be considered when appointments are made. It says representation should not remain lopsided if members are perceived as linked to one party.

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu claimed that almost four of the seven commissioners were associated with the NPP. He used that figure to explain why the NDC wanted to “tilt the balance” by appointing Emilia Afi Agbenyo. When asked whether this meant appointing an NDC member, he answered yes.

The figure is a government claim presented during the debate, not an independently established count in the article. The NPP disputes the reasoning and focuses on Agbenyo’s own political history. The dispute therefore involves both the Commission’s overall composition and the credibility of individual appointments.

The NPP questioned Emilia Afi Agbenyo’s neutrality because it says she participated in NDC campaign activities. It also cited her role as a spokesperson for the NDC manifesto committee on governance. These links matter because Electoral Commission officials are expected to act independently and impartially while managing elections.

The opposition’s concern is about public confidence as well as formal conduct. If voters or parties believe a commissioner has a political preference, they may doubt decisions made by the Commission. The government spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, accepted that some people had legitimate concerns. He argued that Agbenyo’s behaviour in the job could reduce those concerns.

President John Dramani Mahama instructed the new deputy chairpersons to work independently and impartially. He said no political party or candidate should receive preferential treatment. The government also accused the NPP of double standards, citing previous appointments of politically affiliated people to state institutions. Agbenyo’s conduct will now be closely watched.

Public confidence matters because elections must be viewed as fairly managed, not merely completed. If commissioners are seen as serving a political party, voters and candidates may doubt the Commission’s decisions. That can weaken trust in the process and make election outcomes harder for losing sides to accept peacefully.

The article gives a direct example. The NPP has questioned Agbenyo’s neutrality because of her participation in NDC campaign activities and her role in the party’s manifesto committee. The concern is not that the article proves she will act unfairly. It is that her past activities may create a perception of bias around the Commission.

The government says this risk can be reduced through her conduct in office. Mahama instructed both new deputy chairpersons to act independently and impartially, with no preferential treatment for any party or candidate. Their decisions and public behaviour will therefore influence whether concerns fade or become a continuing challenge to the EC’s credibility.

“Tilting the balance” means changing the EC’s political composition to counter what the government describes as an existing imbalance. Felix Kwakye Ofosu claimed that almost four of the seven commissioners were associated with the NPP. He argued that an NDC appointment could make state institutions less lopsided.

The government’s concrete example is Agbenyo’s appointment. When asked whether tilting the balance meant appointing an NDC member, Kwakye Ofosu replied yes. He also accused the NPP of double standards, saying the party had previously appointed politically affiliated people to state institutions. His argument is that political links should not be acceptable only when they favour one side.

The NPP rejects that justification and focuses on Agbenyo’s political activities. Nana B recalled that Mahama criticised some Electoral Commission appointments under an earlier administration. The opposition argues that appointing a known NDC member now conflicts with that earlier position. The debate therefore centres on consistency, balance, and neutrality.

Independence means the Electoral Commission can make decisions without pressure from a political party or candidate. Impartiality means applying the same standards to everyone. Together, they support the legitimacy of an election because people are more likely to accept the process when its referee appears fair.

The article shows why this matters through the dispute over Agbenyo. The NPP says her NDC campaign work and manifesto role could affect confidence in the Commission. Mahama responded by charging the new deputy chairpersons to act independently and impartially. He specifically said no party or candidate should receive preferential treatment.

If those principles are not trusted, parties may challenge the Commission’s decisions and supporters may doubt results. The article does not describe a specific unrest scenario, but peaceful acceptance generally depends on confidence in fair election administration. The immediate test is how Agbenyo and Asamoah conduct themselves. Their performance could either ease concerns or intensify them.