Accra, Ghana—Joseph Blankson Adumadzie, the Electoral Commission (EC) staff member who formally petitioned President John Mahama to remove EC Chairperson Jean Mensa and her two deputies, has disclosed that he is currently on interdiction from the Commission.
Mr. Adumadzie filed the petition under Article 146 of the Constitution, which provides a mechanism for the removal of superior court judges or heads of constitutional bodies on grounds of stated misconduct. The petition outlines 12 grounds of alleged misconduct against the EC leadership, including cronyism, abuse of office, and gross incompetence, arguing that their actions threaten Ghana’s electoral credibility.
Interdiction Linked to BVD Allegations
Speaking to Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, November 24, Mr. Adumadzie confirmed his employment status: “For a while now, I don’t go to work. I have not resigned, I have not been sacked. I am on an interdiction.”
He explained that his interdiction stemmed from issues involving Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs). The allegations centered on claims that old BVD units were found in a refuse dump and somehow traced back to him.
Mr. Adumadzie firmly rejected the claims, asserting that the allegations were untrue. He further disclosed that the Commission had taken him to court over the BVD matter but failed to provide sufficient evidence. “They sued me and couldn’t prove anything. And for one year I won the case, and I have sued them,” he added.
Petition ‘Not an Act of Revenge’
Crucially, Mr. Adumadzie stressed that his petition to President Mahama is not an act of revenge or a reaction to his personal employment issues. Instead, he maintains that his motivation comes from concerns over what he believes are “deepening problems” in the Commission’s management and an urgent need for accountability at the top.
He is calling on President Mahama to fulfill the constitutional requirement by referring the petition to the Chief Justice to establish whether a prima facie case exists against the EC leadership.
