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Sam George unfit to be minister—Aggrieved group outlines reasons

Some Ablekuma North constituents are up in arms against the nomination of Mr. Samuel Nartey George as Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation and have petitioned Parliament to reject the minister-designate.

Consequently, three persons have petitioned the Appointments Committee to stop Mr. Samuel Nartey George from rising to occupy the ministerial position.

They cited the heckling and physical manhandling of the Electoral Commission (EC) Returning Officer in charge of the Ablekuma North parliamentary elections during the December polls by Mr George and forcing a declaration of the parliamentary results in favour of the NDC candidate, Awurabena Aubyn.

Nearly a month after new MPs were sworn into office, Ablekuma North is not represented in the legislature amidst legal actions, back-and-forths, protests, and threats that have left the fate of constituents in limbo.

In the petition, dated January 29 and copied to parliament’s leadership, the petitioners stated:

“The graven of our case against the Minister Designate (Hon. Samuel Nartey George) relates to his lawless conduct on 9th December 2024, during the collation of the parliamentary election results for Ablekuma North and Okaikwei Central, where, as captured by the media in widely circulated videos, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, in the company of some party supporters, were seen obstructing officers of the Electoral Commission in the performance of their statutory functions”.

To buttress their point, the petitioners explained that, “In some of the videos, which we have attached to this petition, the Minister Designate was seen essentially compelling the EC officers to act in accordance with his instructions. In visible duress from the Minister Designate and members of his political party, Returning Officers of the Electoral Commission were compelled to declare incomplete collated results in flagrant violation of Regulation 43(1) of Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (C.I 127)”.

“The conduct of the Nominee or Minister Designate is clearly a gross violation of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and the nation’s electoral laws particularly the Representation of the People Law, 1992 (PNDCL 284), which frown on the interference or obstruction in the work of the Electoral Commission”.

It is their view that “allowing him [Mr George] to go through the vetting successfully and recommending him for approval as a Minister of State would set a very bad precedent in the country and, indeed, an affront to our democratic governance”.

The same Ablekuma North saga resulted in a temporal boycott of parliamentary business by the Minority in Parliament on January 24.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin issued an ultimatum during a heated session, demanding that the Electoral Commission (EC) declare the constituency’s election results to ensure representation in parliament.

“The people of Ablekuma North have a right to representation in this House. Until the EC fulfils its mandate, we cannot proceed with business as usual,” Afenyo-Markin stated.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin emphasised that the absence of representation undermines democratic principles and compromises Parliament’s legitimacy.

Below is the petition:

January 29, 2025

THE CHAIRMAN
APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE
PARLIAMENT OF GHANA

Dear Sir,

PETITION AGAINST THE NOMINATION OF HON SAMUEL NARTEY GEORGE AS MINISTER-DESIGNATE FOR THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

We, the undersigned, who are citizens of Ghana and constituents of the Ablekuma North Constituency, petition your Committee [the Appointments Committee of Parliament] pursuant to the relevant Standing Orders of Parliament and the time-tested established parliamentary procedures and convention, demanding the non-recommendation of Hon. Samuel Nartey George as Minister Designate for the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation for approval by Parliament on grounds set forth herein.

We strongly hold the view that the Minister Designate [Hon Samuel Nartey George] has, in his public engagements and commentaries, consistently demonstrated conducts that are utterly reprehensible and unbecoming of a member of the august house. He has consistently demonstrated conducts that are inconsistent with the legitimate expectations of every right thinking member of the Ghanaian society.

We shall proceed to demonstrate one of such instances which, in our respectful view, makes his recommendations by the Appointments Committee for approval as a Minister of State, completely UNTENABLE. We cannot, as a country, lower the bar in respect of the legal and moral standards required of persons seeking to occupy high public offices particularly Ministers of State.

The graven of our case against the Minister Designate (Hon. Samuel Nartey George) relates to his lawless conduct on 9th December, 2024, during the collation of the parliamentary election results for Ablekuma North and Okaikwei Central, where, as captured by the media in widely circulated videos, Hon Samuel Nartey George, in the company of some party supporters, were seen obstructing officers of the Electoral Commission in the performance of their statutory functions.

In some of the videos, which we have attached to this petition, the Minister Designate was seen essentially compelling the EC officers to act in accordance with his instructions. In visible duress from the Minister Designate and members of his political party, Returning Officers of the Electoral Commission were compelled to declare incomplete collated results in flagrant violation of Regulation 43(1) of Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (C.I 127).

The conduct of the Nominee or Minister Designate is clearly a gross violation of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and the nation’s electoral laws particularly the Representation of the People Law, 1992 (PNDCL 284), which frown on the interference or obstruction in the work of the Electoral Commission.

For the avoidance of doubt, we have reproduced the relevant laws on the matter as follows:

Article 46 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which is headed, INDEPENDENCE OF THE COMMISSION, provides as follows:

“Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution or in any other law not inconsistent with this Constitution, in the performance of its functions, the Electoral Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority”

Again, Section 40 of the Representation of the People Law, 1992 (PNDCL 284), which is headed, OBSTRUCTION OF OFFICERS, states as follows:

“A person who wilfully obstructs or interferes with an election officer in the execution of his duty commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding ¢1million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both”.

It is very surprising and shocking that the Minister-Designate, who is a lawmaker and therefore presumed to know the law, has turned himself into a lawbreaker. And instead of him facing prosecution for breaking the law, he is rather being rewarded and elevated to the position of a Minister of State.

It is our respectful submission that unless the Nominee is able to purge himself of this lawless conduct, allowing him to go through the vetting successfully and recommending him for approval as a Minister of State, would set a very bad precedence in the country and, indeed, an affront to our democratic governance. We trust that in the circumstances, your revered Committee would do the needful for love of God and country.

Respectfully submitted.

…Signed…

Dennis Opoku – 0246116361

Razak Sufyan – 0244198399

Ansah Dennis – 0539634669

(THE PETITIONERS)

Cc:

Ranking Member, Appointments Committee

Deputy Chairman, Appointments Committee

The Clerk, Appointments Committee

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