Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper Ben Ephson has revealed that former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission(EC) Charlotte Osei proceeded to change the commission’s logo in 2016, despite majority of her other colleague commissioners kicking against that move.
The EC’s new management led by Chairperson Jean Mensah in a memo announced the restoration of the original logo which bears the coat of arms and a ballot box showing the hand casting a vote stating that the change took effect from today December 4, 2018.
“The core values of the Electoral Commission, namely integrity, fairness and accountability have from today also been restored.
“All communications from the Electoral Commission must from today, be made on the letterhead bearing the original logo of the Commission as appears on the face of this letterhead Reams of Letterheads are to be picked up from the stores of the Commission.
“Kindly ensure that the most recent logo is removed from the buildings and properties of the Commission,” portions of the memo read.
The Electoral Commission in April 2016 courted huge backlash following the unveiling of a new logo as a section of the public argued it was a waste of public funds.
Then Chairperson then, Charlotte Osei at a ceremony to unveil the new logo mounted a spirited defence of the Commission’s decision to stick to the new logo in spite of the public outcry.
“That is our new logo. We like it, we picked it, and it makes us happy,” she said.
But commenting on the development in an interview with sit-in-host Akwasi Nsiah on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa FM Thursday, Ben Ephson stated that the former EC Boss who was sacked from office has a penchant for changing logos of state institutions she’s appointed to head.
“I can tell you for a fact that in the meeting that was held under Charlotte Osei to change the logo, there was a four to three vote against changing the logo, in spite of that the former EC Chairperson still went ahead and changed the logo.
“Maybe she took the decision to still go on to change the logo because she wanted to leave a mark wherever she works. She was first at the NCCE before being appointed the Chairperson, even at the NCCE she changed the logo there as well. So when Dr Bossman Asare stated that there was unanimous decision to return to the use of the old logo, I got the sense that they’d gone to read the minutes of Charlotte Osei’s meeting and must have found out there was no unanimous decision to change the logo as she claimed.”
Mrs Osei and two of her deputies—Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwah were sacked by President Akufo-Addo June this year.
Their dismissal was after the Committee set up by the Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, pursuant to Article 146(4) of the Constitution, to investigate separate complaints brought against the three persons, recommended their removal from office.
The recommendation was on the basis of the stated misbehaviour and incompetence to Article 146(1) of the constitution.
