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Ghana’s EC Reassigns PR Chief, Opposition Smells A Rat

“The Commission has declared vacancy for the position of Head of Public Relations and Communications only to staff of the Commission,” the notice stated.

The acting Director for Public Relations at Ghana’s Electoral Commission has been reassigned. It is believed Mr. Christian Owusu Parry was reassigned following a goof concerning the controversial 18-member committee introduced by the Commission, but the EC is not providing further details.

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A notice signed by Samuel D. Boadu, acting Director of Human Resources, said the position is currently vacant and open to staff of the EC.

“The Commission has declared vacancy for the position of Head of Public Relations and Communications only to staff of the Commission,” the notice stated.

Reports suggest that Mr. Owusu Parry has been on the grill at the Commission for putting out “misinformation” about a committee being introduced by the committee to help co-ordinate the 2016 elections.

Last month, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and some other concerned bodies raised issues about the introduction of the committee, which the Electoral Commission inaugurated and charged with overseeing and ensuring the smooth conduct of the November 7 general elections. They charged that the duties of the committee were unclear and even unconstitutional but the EC defended its position saying it had the right within the constitution to appoint any body it deems helpful to the achievement of its goals.

News made the rounds shortly afterwards that the committee which is overseen by the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, and also includes acting boss of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Joseph Whittal, had been dissolved. The EC however came out to announce the opposite.

It is however not clear what ‘misinformation’ allegedly led to the reassignment of Mr. Owusu Parry.

Mr. Parry was the acting Director of Public Affairs at the EC from June 2008, before his appointment to head the Communications and Public Relations department of the Electoral Commission.

Mr. Owusu Parry is now assigned to the administration department of the commission. 

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Ghana