The Electoral Commission (EC) is addressing multiple issues just eight days before Ghana’s December 7 elections, including shortfalls in ballot papers and discrepancies in serial numbers. These challenges have sparked concerns among stakeholders, prompting swift action by the EC to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process.
The Commission has identified shortages in presidential and parliamentary ballot papers for constituencies in the Volta Region, including Keta, Ketu North, Ho Central, Hohoe, and Ho West. Additional ballot papers will be printed at Acts Commercials in Accra on Friday, November 29, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Political parties and independent presidential candidates have been invited to send two representatives each to observe the process.
Speaking during an emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bossman Asare revealed that Greater Accra, Western North, Upper West, Western, Bono, and Bono East regions are also experiencing similar shortages.
“The shortfalls occurred in Greater Accra, Western North, Upper West, Western, and Bono East Regions. The Volta and Bono regions were no exceptions. As in the case of the Volta Region, the political parties were informed in writing, and the reprint was done to cover the shortfalls in those five regions,” Dr. Asare noted.
He dismissed allegations of bias and called for calm, emphasizing the Commission’s commitment to transparency. “Why the noise about the shortfalls of only the Volta region? If the Commission has anything to hide, will it transparently call for a reprint of the ballots to make up for the shortfalls?”
Dr. Asare urged the public to verify information shared on social media to avoid fear and panic.
Additionally, discrepancies in serial numbers on presidential ballot papers have been uncovered in the Berekum West and Berekum East constituencies in the Bono Region. These issues include non-sequential and duplicate serial numbers across several booklets.
The EC has directed the affected ballot papers to be reprinted at the Ghana Publishing Company (Assembly Press). Political parties and independent candidates have been invited to observe this process, which will also take place on November 29, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Region, a broken seal on an electoral material bag in Koforidua caused brief alarm.
Currently at the Eastern Reg Police Command where ballot papers are being dispatched to the Districts. This bag containing ballot papers for Nkawkaw has all seals broken and zip tampered with. Someone should call the EC and Police to order. Nobody will steal this election. pic.twitter.com/7dhnEzIrf5
— 𝐍𝐚𝐭 𝐆. 𝐓𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐡 🇬🇭 (@NatGTetteh) November 29, 2024
The Ghana Police Service has confirmed that the incident resulted from the packing and unpacking process. The seal was recovered, and stakeholders, including EC officials and political party representatives, confirmed the bag’s contents were intact.
Despite these challenges, the EC maintains its commitment to delivering a free, fair, and credible election.
