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Charlotte Osei shares her Afghanistan experience

Former United Nations (UN) Elections Commissioner in Afghanistan, Mrs Charlotte Osei, has praised Afghans for their hospitality despite the violence there.

According to the former Electoral Commission (EC) Chair, “Afghans are the most hospitable, incredibly sweet, incredibly generous people.

“They would want you to come [to their] home, and you could not go because security protocols just would not let you do that,” she explained.

Ghana’s first female EC was speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show (SMS) on Wednesday about her experience working in Afghanistan.

“If an Afghan colleague wants me to come over for dinner, they would have to give advanced notice; UN security would have to go to their house, check it out.

“And there were even times that they will tell us, you cannot go to the office this week, we have to do this or we have to build another bunker, so it was a very rigours security system and for good measure,” she told host, Winston Amoah.

 

Mrs Osei said because of the exigencies of the times when she served in the Far East country; she could not interact with the everyday people on the Afghan streets.

However, she could interact with “the lady who cleans my accommodation, I would speak to the drivers, I would speak to the people at work.”

The reception she got from these people and others she interacted with during her stay exposed her to how warm they are.

Mrs Osei said life as a UN Commissioner in Afghanistan was very restricted because “you cannot even roll down your car windows in traffic to buy anything or speak to anyone.”

She, however, said it was a bit difficult for her to have a direct engagement with the ordinary Afghans due to the security measures in place.

According to her, she deduced from her little community engagements that the average Afghan wants what the average Ghanaian wants.

“They want a peaceful life; they want the opportunity to earn a living, for their children to go to school, have a good education, they want them to get jobs and be independent when they finish school.

“You want good health care; you want access to health, the same things we want, you want to be able to go out and having a nice time with your friends and family and get back home safely. So that’s what they want and it’s not exactly what they were getting,” she noted.

Mrs Osei was appointed by the UN as an International Elections Commissioner to Afghanistan during preparation for the country’s crucial presidential polls in September 2019.

SOURCE: Myjoyonline.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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