‘Even public toilets are politicised’ – A Plus takes aim at Ghana’s politics

‘Even public toilets are politicised’ – A Plus takes aim at Ghana’s politics Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of double standards over President John Dramani Mahama’s appointment of two new Deputy Chairpersons of the Electoral Commission (EC), arguing that successive governments have contributed to the politicisation of state institutions. In a Facebook post reacting to the appointments, A Plus mocked the NPP’s opposition to the latest changes at the EC, suggesting that the party had previously benefited from similar appointments when it was in power. “Now you are talking!” he wrote, before taking aim at the party over what he described as its inconsistent position on political appointments. “If I were President Mahama, I would have appointed Edudzi Tamakloe to the Electoral Commission, so that the next time you get power, you’ll also get sense to use it wisely!” he stated. A Plus, who is a member of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), also used a football analogy to suggest that the party had learnt from the NPP’s previous political strategies and was now better positioned to compete. “You guys are crazy! When you were appointing your people to the EC and winning 9–0 at the Supreme Court, you had no idea the NDC was busy grooming an entire academy of up-and-coming strikers who would one day beat you 15–0!” he said. “Now the boys have graduated, and suddenly, you want to change the rules of the game?” His comments come amid growing debate over the independence and perceived political neutrality of the EC following President Mahama’s appointment and swearing-in of Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah and Emelia Afi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairpersons on October 12, 2026. The two appointments filled vacancies created by the departure of former deputy chairpersons Dr Bossman Eric Asare, who resigned to return to academia at the University of Ghana, and Samuel Tettey, who left office after reaching the mandatory retirement age. The appointments have attracted criticism from opposition figures and other stakeholders, particularly over concerns about perceived political affiliations and the need to protect public confidence in the electoral management body. A Plus, however, argued that the controversy reflected a broader problem in Ghanaian politics, where parties often defend practices when they benefit from them but condemn the same practices when political power changes hands. “We must all stop being hypocritical and admit one uncomfortable truth: we have politicised virtually everything in Ghana!” he wrote. He cited institutions such as the Police Service, the Military and the Electoral Commission as examples of state bodies that, in his view, have become entangled in partisan politics. He also questioned the perception that local government elections are free from party-political influence, arguing that political divisions extend beyond national elections and formal state institutions. “Even public toilets have been politicised!” A Plus said, using a humorous example to illustrate what he described as the extent to which partisan considerations influence everyday life. He claimed that changes in government often lead to changes in the people managing public facilities, adding that political affiliation could affect access to services in some communities. “If you belong to the NDC when the NPP is in power, you can’t even take a sh!t in peace!” he wrote, in a post that mixed criticism with his characteristic use of humour and profanity. The Gomoa Central MP said any genuine effort to end the cycle of politically influenced appointments must begin with an honest assessment of the practice, regardless of which party is responsible. “If we genuinely want to end this cycle, then we must be prepared to condemn the practice like some NDC people are doing now!” he stated. He further challenged the NPP to apply the same standards to the NDC that it expected others to apply when the NPP was in government. “You NPP people cannot defend and enjoy something when it benefits you and suddenly discover that it is wrong when the tables turn,” he added. “So, it’s good when the NPP does it, but bad when the NDC does the same thing?” The controversy has renewed public discussion about how members of Ghana’s Electoral Commission should be appointed and what safeguards are needed to protect the Commission’s independence. Under Article 43 of the 1992 Constitution, the EC comprises a chairperson, two deputy chairpersons and four other members. Article 70(2) provides for the appointment of the chairperson and deputy chairpersons by the President acting on the advice of the Council of State. At the swearing-in of the new deputies, President Mahama urged them to discharge their constitutional responsibilities without fear or favour towards any political party or candidate. The President also stressed the need for the Commission to treat all political parties equally and protect the right of Ghanaians to choose their leaders freely. The latest debate has placed the spotlight on a longstanding question in Ghana’s electoral politics: whether the constitutional appointment process sufficiently protects the EC from perceptions of partisan influence, particularly when a new administration takes office. While A Plus has framed the dispute as a question of hypocrisy and political consistency, critics of politically contentious appointments argue that public confidence in the EC depends not only on the conduct of its officials but also on the perceived impartiality of the process through which they are selected. This article has 10 comment(s), give your comment \\ ‘I thought he had bricks in his hands’ - De La Hoya on Ike Quartey’s punching power \\ Govt issues further directives on contract mining, protects workers’ conditions \\ Singer Chichi survives ghastly Car accident in US \\ Nigeria: APC suffers setback as ex-National Chairman's ally resigns Source: GhanaWeb (https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/politics/Even-public-toilets-are-politicised-A-Plus-takes-aim-at-Ghana-s-politics-2057356)