Will This Follow the Chief Justice Playbook?
HotDigitalOnline News
A reported petition by some staff of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) calling for internal administrative reforms, including concerns about leadership under Chairperson Jean Mensa and certain deputies, has set off a wave of public debate.
Not because petitions at the EC are new, but because many Ghanaians still remember how messy and confusing the transition of the Chief Justice became.
Now the big question everywhere is:
“Are we heading for another murky institutional drama?”
What We Know and What We Shouldn’t Assume
Sources say the petition is staff-led, focusing on internal issues such as:
- communication gaps
- staff morale
- promotions and workflow
- operational decision-making
These are workplace concerns, not political accusations.
So far, no political party or government official has called for the EC Chair’s removal an important point in separating the issue from partisan agendas.
But in Ghana, where institutions frequently sit at the centre of political storms, the public perception is already swirling.
Why People Fear Another Messy Episode
The transition of the Chief Justice left many citizens uneasy.
Information was slow, speculation took over, and politics filled the vacuum.
So today, when staff frustrations at the EC leak into public space, the nation’s instinct is to brace itself.
Ghanaians are asking:
“Is this truly an internal problem or the beginning of another power struggle?”
It’s a fair fear.
But fear does not equal fact.
Here’s Why This Doesn’t Look Like Political Interference (Yet)
- The petition focuses on administration, not election outcomes.
- No coordinated political messaging has emerged.
- EC staff petitions have happened under multiple Chairs — a long-standing institutional pattern.
- Reports indicate the concerns predate the political season.
This is shaping up to be an internal management issue, not an externally engineered one.
The Real Risk: Silence Turning Into Suspicion
The Chief Justice saga taught Ghana one major lesson:
When institutions don’t communicate properly and early, the narrative slips away from them.
If the EC handles this with clarity —
Acknowledges concerns
Engages staff
Responds formally
And keeps the process transparent.
It remains a manageable internal matter.
But if communication is slow or unclear, Ghana could once again find itself drowning in rumours, assumptions, and political theatre.
And that’s the danger.
HotDigitalOnline Editorial
This moment is not about Jean Mensa.
It’s not about political players.
It’s about the strength of Ghana’s democratic institutions.
Staff raising concerns is not a crisis.
How leadership responds determines whether it becomes one.
We cannot afford another murky institutional battle fuelled by silence and speculation.
Ghana deserves a process that is:
- transparent,
- fair,
- constitutional,
- and respectful of both leadership and staff.
If we learned anything from the past year, it is this:
Institutions stay strong when they speak, not when they hide.
HotDigitalOnline will monitor developments with clarity, balance and independence.
v
About the Author
