John Kumah’s death: EC speaks on by-election in Ejisu

The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has expressed readiness to conduct a by-election in the Ejisu Constituency of the Ashanti region.

This follows the untimely death of the Member of Parliament (MP) Dr John Kumah on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In an interview, the Director of Electoral Services at EC, Dr Serebour Quaicoe said they await official notice from parliament on the vacant seat.

“Article 112 of the Constitution says that when a vacancy occurs, the Clerk of Parliament will inform the Electoral Commission seven days after the incident. When we are informed that it is an ordinary incident the Commission has 30 days but if it is a result of death we have 60 days to conduct a by-election.

“If the vacancy occurs less than three months to a General Election there will not be an election, so as far as the Commission is concerned and in our budget we always prepare for by-elections. So as and when we are informed officially we will kick start the process and we are ever ready,” Mr. Quaicoe explained on Accra-based Starr FM.

The 45-year-old Deputy Finance Minister passed on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Suhum Government Hospital.

Despite rife speculations about suspected food poisoning, his wife, Apostle Lilian Kumah has revealed he died from a blood-related illness diagnosed in August 2023 during a medical examination in Germany.