Ato Forson Appointed Returning Officer for AfDB Presidential Elections – GhArticles.com
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Ghana’s Minister for Finance, has been appointed as the Returning Officer for the African Development Bank (AfDB) presidential elections during the Bank’s ongoing Annual Meetings.
The elections are being conducted to elect a new president to succeed Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who has served as the 8th President of the AfDB since May 28, 2015.
Five candidates from across Africa are contesting for the prestigious position:
1. Amadou Hott – Senegal
2. Dr. Samuel Munzele Maimbo – Zambia
3. Dr. Sidi Ould Tah – Mauritania
4. Abbas Mahamat Tolli – Chad
5. Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala – South Africa
As Returning Officer, Dr. Forson is tasked with ensuring a fair and transparent election process in line with Article 5 of the Bank’s electoral regulations. His responsibilities include verifying that the ballot box is empty before voting, confirming ballot counts, rejecting invalid ballots, and certifying the legitimacy of the final results.
He will carry out these duties with the support of the Secretary General, the General Counsel, and a designated technical team, who will oversee vote tabulation in accordance with Article 7.