Kwadwo Afari-Gyan

Kwadwo Afari-Gyan CSG (dem born am 18 June 1945) be Ghanaian academic, political scientist den election administrator. Den he be Chairman for de Electoral Commission of Ghana from 1993 to 2015.

Early life and education

Dem born Afari-Gyan on 18 June 1945 for Anyimon in de Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. He go Achimota School den Adisadel College for his A Level den he sanso graduated from de University of Ghana for 1967 with a BA degree in Philosophy. He continue go get MA degree in African politics for 1969 for de same university. He sanso studied for de United States wey he get award for Ph. D. in political science from de University of California, Santa Barbara in 1974.

Career

Afari-Gyan job as a lecturer and a professor for Political Science at de University of Ghana. He sanso lecture in de United States and Nigeria. Den he be member of de Committee of Experts wey draft de Fourth Republican Constitution for Ghana.

In 1992, dem appoint am as deputy chairman for de Interim National Electoral Commission by de Provisional National Defence Council, wey dey rule as a military junta, plus de hope say dem go carry de country back to civilian rule. Ein job be say make he ensure say de November 1992 presidential election den de December 1992 parliamentary elections go be free den fair. Jerry John Rawlings, de chairman for de PNDC, wey be de Head of State, stand den win de elections.

With de coming into force of de Fourth Republican Constitution, dem set up a new Electoral Commission wey Afari-Gyan chop de first substantive chairman. He successfully supervised all de elections dem hold under dis constitution so far. He successfully chaired de conduct of presidential den parliamentary elections for 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 den 2008. In de last of these elections, a number of unofficial institutions attempted to declare de results, wey Afari-Gyan come talk say de results no fit be trusted.

De 2004 general elections get matters wey de opposition National Democratic Congress take go court. But dem lost de case on technicalities. Again, de 2012 presidential election between President John Dramani Mahama den Nana Akufo-Addo ended up in an 8-month election petition trial at de Supreme Court. De opposition leader lost de case in a 5:4 split decision, wey show say de President be validly elected. But, de trial, wey dey live on television, exposed sum fundamental weaknesses for Ghana ein electoral process, wey trigger calls den moves towards comprehensive electoral reforms before de 2016 general elections. De ruling get chaow criticism by jurists.

Dis be what one of de Supreme Court Justices, Justice Jones Dotse, say about Dr Afari Gyan: "My observation be say, Dr. Afari Gyan appeared to have concentrated his oversight responsibility at de top notch of de election administration, thereby abdicating his supervisory role at de grassroots or bottom, where most of de activities critical to de conduct of elections are performed. In dis instance, he even appeared not to be conversant with some of de basic procedural steps den rules dat are performed by his so-called temporary staff. So far as I dey concerned, Dr. Afari Gyan has cut a very poor figure of himself, and the much acclaimed competent election administrator both nationally and internationally has evaporated into thin air once his portfolio has come under de close scrutiny of the Courts."

In 1998, he became de Executive Secretary of de Association of African Election Authorities. He be member of a committee of experts to advice Nigeria on elections.

Honours

He chop award as de Order of the Star of Ghana, de highest national award by President John Mahama, on 1 July 2015.

Other activities

He sanso job give large number of other African countries, den he write several books. He be de "star witness" for de Electoral Commission of Ghana for an electoral petition filed by de New Patriotic Party after the 2012 general election.