President John Dramani Mahama has charged newly sworn-in Deputy Chairpersons of the Electoral Commission (EC), Emelia Afi Agbenyo and Dr. Joseph Kweku Asamoah, to uphold impartiality and protect the right of Ghanaians to freely choose their leaders.
Speaking at their swearing-in ceremony at the Jubilee House on Monday, October 12, 2026, the President said the two officials must perform their duties without favouring any political party, candidate or government.
He stressed that their primary responsibility was to the Republic of Ghana and its citizens, urging them to exercise the authority of their offices with fairness, restraint and strict adherence to the law.
“Your duty is to the Republic of Ghana and its people. You must discharge your responsibilities without favour towards any political party, any candidate, or government,” he said.
President Mahama also made it clear that he expected the EC to apply the same standards to all political actors, including his own administration and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“As President, I expect no preferential treatment from the Electoral Commission for myself, my party, or my government. I expect an institution that applies the same standards to everyone and protects Ghanaians’ right to choose their leaders freely,” he added.
The President further urged the new deputy chairpersons to demonstrate the courage to enforce the law, even when their decisions might be unpopular with people in positions of authority.
“You must have the courage to uphold what is right even when it is inconvenient for those in power,” he stated.
Their swearing-in comes at a time when the EC is expected to continue its constitutional responsibilities of organising and supervising public elections, maintaining the credibility of the electoral process and ensuring eligible citizens can exercise their voting rights.
The appointments also fill two vacancies in the Commission’s senior leadership following the departure of Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, who was responsible for Corporate Affairs, and Samuel Tettey, who oversaw Operations.
Dr Asare resigned effective July 31, 2026, to return to academia at the University of Ghana, while Mr. Tettey left the Commission after reaching the mandatory retirement age.
Madam Agbenyo previously served as Deputy Director for Operations at the Ghana TVET Service.
Dr. Asamoah, a law lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has previously held several positions at the EC, including Director of Finance, Director of the Training Centre and Head of Audit. He also brings experience in electoral administration and public service.
