Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Anyaa Sowutuom, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, has launched a scathing political critique against the spate of petitions demanding the removal of key independent government officials.
According to Dr. Adomako Kissi, the recent petitions to remove the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Jean Mensa, and the Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyebeng – are not independent actions but part of a long-standing campaign promise being executed by the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.
The former MP directly accused the Presidency of orchestrating the 10 separate petitions filed by private citizens, suggesting the process was predictable and deliberately activated immediately following the government’s assumption of office.
The petitions cite alleged misconduct, incompetence, abuse of office, and concerns about electoral management against the officials, including EC deputies Dr. Eric Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey.
“I must commend the NDC, they are doing as they promised during the campaign period, that when they come, they will remove the EC. They may be petitions, but do they merit the removal?”
Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, Former MP for Anyaa Sowutuom
Dr. Adomako Kissi went further, taking a direct swipe at the government’s official spokesperson. Minister for Government Communications, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, had strongly dismissed claims that the Presidency played any role in engineering the petitions, insisting they were independently filed by private citizens.
Dr. Adomako Kissi rejected this denial outright, accusing the Minister of deliberately misleading the public. “I have every right to tell Felix that he did well lying to Ghanaians that the Executive has nothing to do with the petition,” he remarked.
He maintained that the unified timing and target of the complaints – particularly against the EC leadership – confirmed the political agenda at play, describing the entire petition process as “clockwork.” He argued that the political nature of the move was an obvious attempt to weaken the checks and balances exerted by independent state institutions.
Need for Fixed Tenure
Driven by his belief that the petition mechanism is being weaponized for political ends, Dr. Adomako Kissi proposed a crucial constitutional reform to protect the independence of the EC from the cyclical changes of government.
“We must come to terms with the fact that maybe the EC tenure should be six years. Let’s do that so that it cuts across,” he added, urging the nation to institute a fixed tenure – a timeframe that deliberately cuts across political administrations.
His proposal aims to decouple the tenure of the EC Chairperson and deputies from the four-year electoral cycle, thereby eliminating the incentive for a new government to immediately seek the removal of officials appointed by its predecessor.
This, he argued, would shield the integrity and neutrality of the EC from becoming a casualty of predictable political warfare.
Petitions Forwarded to Chief Justice
Despite the heated political claims, the constitutional process is now underway. The Office of the President confirmed receiving the 10 separate petitions seeking the removal of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa, and her two deputies.
The Special Prosecutor, in particular, has been cited for alleged incompetence and abuse of office in several of the filings.
The Minister for Government Communications maintains that the allegations of Executive influence are politically motivated, intended solely to distract from the substantive issues raised against the officials.
The President has since forwarded all petitions to the Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who is mandated to determine whether the petitions contain a prima facie case – sufficient evidence – to warrant the establishment of an investigation committee that could recommend the removal of the officials.
Dr. Adomako Kissi’s vocal challenge ensures that the legitimacy and independence of the petitions will remain a central and contentious issue as the Chief Justice proceeds with the constitutional review process.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Opens 2025 Licensing Round for 50 Oil Blocks Targeting Major Investment
