Head of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Jean Mensa has been nominated Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.

It follows the removal of Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Mrs Georgina Opoku Amankwaa, for stated misbehavior.

A statement signed by the Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei Opare named Mr Samuel Tettey and Dr Eric Asare Bossman as Deputy Chairpersons. Ms Adwoa Asuama has also been named as a member of the Commission. She replaces Mrs Pauline Dadzawa who has proceeded on retirement.

The three substantive Commissioner nominees are no strangers at all to issues about politics and elections in Ghana.

Jean Mensa's IEA has played an instrumental role in Ghana's governance issues, politics and elections. As the Executive Director of the Institute, she has been the Coordinator of the Ghana Political Parties Programme.

A lawyer by profession Mrs Mensa was heavily involved in the development of policies such as the Presidential Transition Act  of 2012, the revised 1992 Constitution of Ghana which is currently in a draft form; she also helped in formulating the Political Party funding Bill as well as the revised Political Party Bill.

Her outfit has also been instrumental in many governance issues as well as fight against corruption. Of her many achievements, the IEA's pioneering role in the organisation of the presidential debates has won her many friends and enemies at the same time.

The presidential debates which began in the year 2000 have continued for over two decades with its own controversies. The last debate was boycotted by the then governing party the National Democratic Congress whose officials perceive the IEA and Mrs Jean Mensah as biased in favour of the NPP.

Deputies

Mr Samuel Tettey has been a key member of the Afari Gyan led Electoral Commission. He was appointed Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission in 2014, a position he currently holds. He will bring a depth of experience to the Commission having served as the District Electoral Officer in the Awutu/Effutu/Senya District and the Central Regional Director of EC. He has also acted as a member of Election Observer Missions to countries such as the Kingdom of Lesotho, Guinea and Liberia.

A Political Science Lecturer and head of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, Dr Eric Asare Bossman is well vexed with issues about politics and elections. He is the author of several policy papers in the areas of international politics, democracy in Ghana. He also has teaching and research experience in comparative public policy, Democratic Development, Public policy analysis human rights, globalization and forced migration. His department last year conducted a poll which suggested if elections were held that period, the NPP was still going to retain power, a poll which the NDC rejected and described as being politically tainted.

Member

Mrs Adwoa Asuama Abrefa is a corporate legal practitioner with specialization in land/property acquisition. She is currently the General Manager Legal and Corporate Affairs of Cirrus Oil Services.