By Edward Acquah, GNA
Accra, June 15, GNA – The announcement that two of the Electoral Commission’s most senior officials will exit office by July 31, 2026, has triggered the usual round of speculation about Ghana’s electoral machinery grinding to a halt.
It would not. But the vacancies do raise practical and political questions about leadership capacity ahead of the December 7, 2028 general election.
Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairperson for Corporate Services, has resigned effective July 31, 2026. Mr. Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairperson for Operations, has proceeded on retirement.
Their departure reduces the seven-member Commission to five: Chairperson Jean Mensa and four commissioners.
The legal bottom line: the EC stays operational
Ghana’s constitutional design anticipated turnover. Article 44(6) of the 1992 Constitution states that where a member dies or is absent, the Commission continues to perform its functions until the President, acting on the advice of the Council of State, appoints a replacement.
Section 11 of the Electoral Commission Act, 1993 (Act 451) sets the quorum for Commission meetings at four members. With five members remaining, the EC retains a lawful quorum and can approve policies, supervise voter registration, demarcate boundaries, regulate parties, and oversee district-level elections without interruption.
The EC’s independence is also constitutionally shielded. Article 46 provides that the Commission is not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority
in performing its functions.
In short, day-to-day work at the headquarters and in regional and district offices continues.
Where the pressure point lies
The risk is not legal paralysis. It is leadership bandwidth.
Deputy Chairpersons carry responsibility for the EC’s operational and administrative arms. Mr Tettey’s Operations portfolio covers the logistics and field execution of elections; Mr Asare’s Corporate Services role covers administration, finance, and institutional management. With both gone, the burden shifts to Chairperson Jean Mensa and the remaining commissioners at a time when pre-election activities—voter roll updates, stakeholder consultations, procurement, and voter education—are already underway.
Neither the Constitution nor Act 451 sets a deadline for filling vacancies. Articles 43, 44, and 70 lay out the process: the President appoints, acting on the advice of the Council of State.
But “flexibility” in the law can become political drag. Delays in appointing substantive deputies risk perception problems and internal strain, especially if the Council of State’s advice stalls or if the presidency treats the appointments as low priority.
What the process looks like
Article 44(1) requires that EC members meet the qualifications to be elected as Members of Parliament(MPs). Beyond that, the process is political. The President selects candidates, consults the Council of State, and makes appointments.
Given the timing, any new appointees will face a compressed learning curve and immediate scrutiny from parties, civil society, and the media.
Why it matters now
Ghana’s 2028 election cycle begins long before ballots are printed. A fully constituted Commission is better positioned to provide consistent leadership, manage institutional memory loss, and insulate operational decisions from accusations of partisanship.
Leaving two senior posts vacant for extended periods invites speculation about interference or capacity gaps—both corrosive to public trust.
For now, the EC remains legally empowered and functional. The next move sits with the President and the Council of State. The sooner qualified, credible replacements are named, the easier it will be for the Commission to project stability and focus on the technical work of delivering credible elections.
Until then, the Commission’s professional staff and remaining commissioners carry the constitutional mandate to safeguard Ghana’s electoral democracy.
The law allows continuity. Politics will determine how smooth it feels.
Until then, the Commission remains legally empowered to carry out its constitutional mandate of anchoring Ghana’s electoral democracy.
GNA
Reporter: Edward Acquah
[email protected]
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong