Afari Gyan is the best EC Chairman in the Fourth Republic — Ohene Ntow

Nana Ohene Ntow, the Senior Campaign Advisor to Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has praised former Electoral Commission (EC) Chairman Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan for his exemplary work during his tenure.

Ntow described Afari-Gyan as an objective EC Chair and the best Ghana has had in the Fourth Republic.

In an interview on Channel One TV, Ntow stated that “But honestly, let me say that after years of interacting with Afari Gyan, especially in my capacity as General Secretary through to that election, I think he is probably one of the best Commissioners we have had in the fourth republic.”

He acknowledged that while both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had occasional issues with Afari-Gyan, the former NPP General Secretary emphasised that Afari-Gyan was principled, consistently upholding fairness and impartiality in managing electoral processes.

Ohene Ntow highlighted that Afari-Gyan’s commitment to maintaining integrity in elections significantly contributed to Ghana’s democratic progress during his tenure.

“I mean if you consider the situation where the NPP, sometimes doesn’t trust him, the NDC doesn’t trust him, that should tell you something about the man. I think he did quite an objective job,” he stated.

Afari Gyan was Chairman of the EC from 1993 to 2015.

He worked as a lecturer and a professor in Political Science at the University of Ghana. He has also lectured in the United States and Nigeria, and a member of the Committee of Experts that drafted the Fourth Republican Constitution for Ghana.

In 1992, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Interim National Electoral Commission by the Provisional National Defence Council, which was ruling as a military junta, with the hope of returning the country to civilian rule.

His job was to ensure that the November 1992 presidential election and the December 1992 parliamentary elections were free and fair.