Former Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, has opened up about the intense challenges she faced while in office, including multiple death threats that put her and her family’s safety at risk.
In an interview on Joy FM, she shared how the threats became a part of her life during her tenure. “There were threats through the mail, and sometimes the security agencies would call to warn me to be careful,” she revealed during Thursday’s discussion.
The situation was especially difficult for her young children, who faced abuse at school amid the tense political climate. Despite her usual resilience, Charlotte Osei admitted she often wondered if the job was worth the danger it posed to her family.
“My family was very supportive and recognised that it was just for a season. All storms run out of water at some point, so everyone encouraged me to stay strong and see how things would unfold after the elections,” she recounted.
Charlotte Osei also reflected on the unexpected challenges she encountered upon taking the role, noting that while she anticipated some difficulties, the extent of the hostility was surprising. “There were some things I expected, but it was worse than we anticipated. The sheer pettiness and creative fiction were quite surprising,” she remarked.
She addressed rumors surrounding her political affiliations, pointing out that while scrutiny was part of the job, the fabrications were shocking. “I woke up to posters claiming I had contested for an election in Evalue Gwira, which I never did and never intended to,” she clarified.
The former EC boss emphasized the importance of focus and resilience in such a demanding position. “You need to block out a lot of things. Those who worked closely with me knew not to send certain things my way so that I could concentrate on doing the job right. It’s about following the law,” she explained.
“Insults will be plenty, but you learn not to take things personally. Clean hands and a clean heart—focus on doing your job,” she advised.
Despite the challenges, Charlotte Osei expressed no regrets about her time as EC Chair. “I cannot say I regret it; it was an absolute honour to serve, and I did it to the best of my ability. I am proud of the work we did,” she concluded.