I read the above-quoted article, first from Peace FM website and later on ModernGhana.com. I would like to write a little rejoinder and raise matters that in my humble view must matter to all Ghanaians.
In the article, the Archbishop Duncan Williams’ call on all those who ‘demonised’ his daughter (Charlotte Osei) with no reason to apologise. I would like to commend the Archbishop for the call to apologise to the EC boss, which in my view a call in the right direction.
I would however have expected the same call to be extended to those who insulted and vilified both the Soon-to-be ex-President J. D. Mahama and the President-Elect-Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo. Especially, in the case of the latter, all kinds of vilifications and blatant lies were peddled against his very person, just to make him appear dirty, despite the enviable personal and professional lives he has led. But I know readers know better than I do and would rather leave them to judge, or for posterity to do so. I believe the huge national endorsement through the just-ended Presidential elections across all the ten regions of Ghana is a clear justification of Nana Addo’s live well-lived.
Now, the reason for this rejoinder. I must admit that I am not a legal luminary though, yet my street understanding of a section of the provision in the constitution of Ghana as we are often reminded of, is that the EC is supposed to be independent. Can this really be the case when Mrs Charlotte Osei, the EC chairperson, per the Archbishop, sought for his opinion, blessings and ‘go ahead’ before declaring the Presidential results? In his own words, he said, “…….it really broke my heart and at the end of the day, when she (Mrs Charlotte Osei) called me (the Archbishop) and said Papa, these are the facts, and I said go ahead and do what is right”.
Now, here come my questions. What if the spirit of God had not prevailed upon the man of God and he had advised otherwise; especially as he is not fun of Nana Addo and hence voted against him (Nana Addo)? By extension, could she have equally relayed the same information to HE President Mahama before declaring the outcome of the just ended results? In all these, did the EC boss, betray the trust of the good people of Ghana, failed the State and reneged on her constitutional mandates and duty? What is the security implication of such ‘conducts’ if indeed it turns out to be the case (which I believe in the Archbishop-as a man of God who would not lie) that she did what the Archbishop-her god-father claimed happened before the declaration of the Presidential results?
Apparently, I shared the live video from the Archbishop’s Second Service on that Sunday, on my Facebook timeline. I am sure the able reporter who made the initial story would notice that the called for apology followed immediately after the man of God dropped the hint that Mrs Charlotte Osei, the EC, boss, who happened to be his god-daughter, apparently called him (the Archbishop) before carrying out that constitutional mandate (one can follow the video https://www.facebook.com/archbishopduncanwilliams/videos/10154766889122964/?pnref=story).
So, the very big question is: How independent is the EC and its Chairperson in the person of Mrs Charlotte Osei, in all these?
As for the reasons for chiding his congregation for shouting louder when he mentioned NPP than they did for NDC’s name, is for the critical mind to watch and judge. My immediate concern is the ramification of such trust (for a god-father) and a betrayal of trust of State and the good people of Ghana, given what transpired between the EC boss and the Archbishop Duncan Williams.
God bless your readers and May He continue to bless our Homeland Ghana, and make her Great again!
F. K.Ohene Agyekum: The Author is A PhD Student in New Zealand.
Disclaimer: This piece of article is my own opinion so expressed as individual, and does not have anything to do with my family, church, university I am studying in or the one I worked for. It must therefore be treated as such.
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