Presidential staffer Beatrice Annan has defended the appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), arguing that her participation in political campaigns should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of partisan allegiance or a threat to electoral neutrality.
Agbenyo’s appointment, alongside that of Dr Joseph Kweku Asamoah as another Deputy Chairperson, has drawn criticism from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The party has questioned her suitability for the position, pointing to her involvement in the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s campaign activities and her role as a spokesperson for its manifesto committee on governance.
Her defenders, however, point to her professional experience in gender advocacy and policy work, including serving as a technical adviser and gender analyst with GIZ Ghana.
Her involvement in the NDC’s 2020 and 2024 election campaigns has been explained as an effort to advance women’s representation in leadership rather than evidence of formal membership of the governing party.
The defence also draws on her reported criticism of the NDC in 2016 over governance concerns and her warning before the 2024 elections that gender advocates could campaign against the party if it failed to retain a female running mate.
These positions, her supporters argue, demonstrate that her engagement with political parties has been shaped by specific policy and gender-related issues.
Speaking on Citi FM on Monday, October 12, 2026, Ms Annan insisted that Agbenyo had never been a card-bearing NDC member and had not demonstrated any conduct suggesting she would be biased in the performance of her duties.
“She has not done anything to demonstrate any potential bias or imminent bias,” she said.
She also maintained that the presidency followed the constitutional procedure for the appointments, explaining that the nominees were presented to the Council of State more than a month before their swearing-in and that the council undertook consultations with relevant stakeholders.