Joyce Bawah Mogtari, the special aide to President-elect John Dramani Mahama, has called for a significant overhaul in the process of appointing the Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC).

According to her, the position should be publicly advertised and subjected to parliamentary vetting to ensure transparency and competence.

This, she believes, will help eliminate partisan bias and improve the efficiency of the Commission.

In a post on X on Saturday, December 14, in the wake of the controversies surrounding the 2024 general elections, Madam Mogtari highlighted the numerous challenges that plagued the process.

She cited inefficiencies and a perceived lack of impartiality as key issues undermining the credibility of the EC.

“The appointment process needs reform. The level of ineptitude we witnessed during this year’s elections is largely due to partisans being appointed to such a critical institution,” she remarked.

Ms Mogtari’s concerns stem from the chaotic handling of the elections, which saw delays in result collation, disputes over declared outcomes, and allegations of misconduct.

She argued that such lapses could have been avoided if the leadership of the EC was chosen through a transparent and merit-based process.

“Our democracy demands that the EC operates as a truly independent body, free from the influence of partisan interests,” she added.

She proposed that Parliament play a more active role in the vetting and approval of candidates for the Chairperson position, insisting that this reform is necessary to restore public confidence in Ghana’s electoral system.

Madam Mogtari concluded by emphasising that credible elections are the cornerstone of democracy and urged the nation to prioritise electoral reforms to safeguard the country’s democratic gains.