EC Chair’s Husband Fires…Says I Don’t Care If My Wife is NDC or NPP

The founder of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Dr. Charles Mensa, has rejected allegations that his wife, Mrs. Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) was appointed to do a hatchet job for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 elections.

Speaking on Accra based Joy FM, yesterday, Mr Mensa said the political preference of his wife is unimportant as far as she remains impartial in the discharge of her duties.

“I ask people when they tell me she is a member of NPP or opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) ‘and so what?’ Because the question is not whether she is NPP or NDC but can she be independent and be fair to all the political parties?” he said.

Diabo Moves?

Prior to her appointment as EC boss, some critics, especially the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had been on Mrs. Mensa’s trail.

Even former President John Dramani Mahama had described as regrettable, the removal of former EC Chair and the subsequent nomination of Mrs Mensa as a replacement.

The NDC had also in a winding statement slammed the Presidency for appointing a new E.C.

“For President Akufo Addo to proceed contrary to his earlier assurances to appoint a known pro-NPP and an avowed anti-NDC person like Mrs Jean Mensa to chair a commission which would organize elections involving the NPP and NDC as the main contenders defies all senses of decency, fairness and justice and amounts to a gross abuse of the discretionary powers of appointment vested in him by the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana,” the statement from NDC had read.

But Mr. Mensa says he does not care whether his wife is NPP or NDC and insists that she is competent to execute her role as EC chair.

Mrs Jean Mensa has over the years, held high profile positions. Her profession has seen her advocate in the review of the Ghana 1992 constitution.

During the review, she served as a commissioner in the Commission established by the government to review the constitution.

Prior to her nomination as the EC boss, Mrs Mensa served as the Executive Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

The Institute of Economic Affairs in Ghana is a premier Public Policy institute and Coordinator of the Ghana Political Parties programme.