REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU – BONO REGION
PRESS STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, 5th March, 2023
PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESS BY THE REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (NDC) ON THE APPOINTMENT OF DR PETER APPIAHENE AS A MEMBER OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF GHANA BY PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO
Good afternoon, our friends from the media.
The Regional Communications Office of the NDC in the Bono Region is pleased to welcome you to this urgent press engagement.
We are quite sure that many of you reported in your media houses, the shocking appointment and subsequent swearing in of Dr. Peter Appiahene by President
Akufo-Addo on Monday, 20th March, 2023 as one of the newly Commissioners of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo in his brief statement indicated that he acted under Article 70 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana in line with Article 43 (1 and 2) to appoint
Dr. Peter Appiahene as one of the three (3) newly appointed Commissioners of the Electoral Commission. What President Akufo-Addo deliberately grossed over was the same Article 70 (2) which states that ‘’the President shall, acting on the advice of the Council of State, appoint the Chairman, Deputy Chairmen, and other members of the Electoral Commission.
Many of you may not be aware of the reasons for our opposition to the appointment of Dr. Peter Appiahene, a resident of Sunyani, as one of the
Commissioners of the Electoral Commission of Ghana. It is against this backdrop, that we deem it necessary, to assemble you here in what we consider as a national threat to our democracy, to adduce evidence based reasons to call for the immediate revocation of the appointment of Dr. Peter Appiahene as a Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
WHO IS DR PETER APPIAHENE?
The current Bono Regional Communications Director of the NPP on Friday, 24th March, 2023 in an interview on Ark 107.1 Fm on their political morning program dubbed ‘’Ark in the Morning’’ told the host, Mr Kwasi Kyei Baffour (KKB) that Dr.
Peter Appiahene has never been a member of the NPP communication team. ‘’on fact, i am the Regional communication Director; Dr. Peter Appiahene, and of course Mr Asare Bediako Seth (ABS) is the immediate past Regional Communications Director of the NPP; you can find out from ABS if you can get him; Dr. Peter Appiahene is not a member of the NPP communication team and he has never been a member of the Bono Regional communications team’’. This claim by the Bono NPP Regional Communication Director is a palpable falsehood and a failed attempt to mislead the general public (a video has been produced).
IS DR. PETER APPIAHENE A MEMBER OF THE BONO NPP REGIONAL COMMUNICATION TEAM?
- Dr. Peter Appiahene on Thursday, 18th November, 2021 on Nimdee 95.1 Fm in Sunyani representing the NPP on their Political program dubbed ‘’Nimdee in the Morning’’ praised the immediate past NPP Regional Communications Direct, Asare Bediako Seth (ABS) for giving him the opportunity to always
represent the NPP on both radio and TV. Dr. Peter Appiahene was there that day, to represent the NPP to discuss the 2022 budget statement that was presented by the Finance Minister on Wednesday, 17th November, 2021. This personal statement by Dr. Peter Appiahene exposes the statement made by the NPP Regional Communications Director on Friday, 24th March, 2023 0n Ark 107.1 Fm in Sunyani (a video has been attached).
Dr. Peter Appiahene on Friday, 7th May, 2021 on Nimdee 95.1 FM in Sunyani again represented the NPP on their political program. On that program, the then Constituency Deputy Communications Officer for the NDC in Wenchi revealed his previous encounter with Dr. Peter Appiahene on another political program on Storm 101.9 FM in Sunyani (video produced).
- On Monday, 23rd November, 2020, Dr. Peter Appiahene represented the NPP on a local base BA TV station in Sunyani. The host, Mr. Kwabena Obeng Akrofi (RoyalServant) introduced Dr. Peter Appiahene as a ‘’Member of the Bono Regional
Communication Team of the NPP’’. Dr. Peter Appiahene in his introductory comment disclosed his new appointment on the program as the ‘’Regional IT Director of the NPP for the 2020 General Elections’’ (video produced). - The involvement of Dr. Peter Appiahene at the Regional Office of the Electoral Commission in Sunyani can be attested by our Regional Secretary, Mr. Dennis Yeboah Twumasi (Ayan Dawud Twumas) who was in charge of our Regional Collation Team for the 2020 General Elections at the office of the Electoral Commission.
DR. PETER APPIAHENE AS NPP TESCON PATRON AT UNIVERSITY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES (UENR), SUNYANI
Dr. Peter Appiahene has not only been an active Regional Communication Member of the NPP but has been the Patron for the NPP student wing – TESCON at the University of Energy and Natural Resources from 2017 until he resigned in 2022.
a) On Saturday, 30th March, 2019, Dr. Peter Appiahene as the Patron of UENR TESCON, was one of the key spokespersons at a program that was organized by the Executive Council of the TESCON UENR on the theme ‘’maintaining power 2020 and beyond – the role of TESCON’’.
b) On Saturday, 11th May, 2019, Mr. Peter Appiahene was one of the several NPP members who were ‘’honoured with citations in appreciation and recognition of their numerous contributions and efforts offered TESCON UENR’’ the statement released by the then Communications Director of TESCON UENR, Osei Owusu Bernard indicated. Picture evidence of all these programs confirming Dr. Peter Appiahene as one of the Patrons for the NPP wing at the University of Energy and Natural Resources can be cross checked from the NPP own Facebook page named ‘’TESCON for ALL NPP’’
Distinguished friends from the media, the above video evidence clearly shows that Dr. Peter Appiahene was not an ordinary NPP person but an active communication team member, a Patron of the NPP wing at the University of Energy and Natural Resources and the Regional IT Director for the NPP in the Bono Region.
Article 45 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana mandates the Electoral Commission amongst others to 45(c) to conduct and supervise all public elections and referenda; 45(d) to educate the people on the electoral process and its purpose.
Ladies and gentlemen, with all these evidence against the functions and roles of an Electoral Commissioner, how can a purely fletched NPP IT Director, Dr. Peter Appiahene, performs his duties as stipulated in Article 46 of the 1992 Constitution where it places a responsibility on the Commissioner not to be subjected to the direction or control of any person or authority?
The question is, can Dr. Peter Appiahene, who has been extensively profiled to discover his long affiliation with the NPP, ever introduce himself at the Electoral Commission’s office at a meeting with political parties as a true Electoral Commissioner who can be trusted with his neutral role in any election related issues. How can communicators of the NDC (such as Abdul Mumin Carlos – former Deputy Constituency Communication Officer for Wenchi, Naaba Abdulai – Deputy Ahafo Regional Treasurer and the Bono Regional Secretary, Mr Dennis Yeboah Twumasi) who have been on programs with Dr. Appiahene Peter as a representation of the NPP accept to cooperate with Dr. Peter Appiahene as the Electoral Commissioner in any election related meeting at any level?
The Regional Communications Office, on behalf of the NDC, will appeal to the Council of State, to consider their earlier advice on the appointment of Dr. Peter Appiahene as the Electoral Commissioner regarding their advisory role under Article 70 (2) of the 1992 Constitution to revoke the appointment of Dr Peter Appiahene.
Last but not the least, the Regional Communications Office, duly serves notice to the General public of its intention to serve petition and copies of these evidence to the National Peace Council, the Catholic Bishop Conference, the Council of State, the National Muslim Conference and all the relevant bodies to appeal to the President to immediately revoke the appointment of Dr. Peter Appiahene in order to have a smooth collaboration with the Electoral Commission going into the 2024 elections.
Thank you
Charles Akowuah Tuffour
Regional Communications Officer
Bono Region
0244472659
0208288062
