We’ve Not Printed Nor Printing Ballot Papers – EC
The Electoral Commission has responded to claims by the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress that the Commission is printing some ballot papers without the provision of ballot statistics to the parties.
The NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, asked the EC to halt the printing of the ballot papers because, according to the National Democratic Congress, the Commission has not met the basic requirement of furnishing stakeholders with a finalized voters’ register, electoral code book, and ballot statistics before proceeding to print ballot papers.
“The electoral code books are the books that tell you polling station by polling station. The number of voters in each of those polling stations and that will guide the composition of the ballot statistics and then before you proceed to print it [ballot papers].
“We do not have the code books as we stand here, to guide us as to the number of voters in each polling station for which we will be printing ballot papers. We don’t have the ballot statistics, and we are going into printing”, he lamented.
He added; “We are back at the guesswork the Electoral Commission has been approaching issues. And I don’t believe it is guesswork. It is a well-orchestrated plan to position the ruling party in a favorable situation hoping that they can win this election.
“Let me tell them, no matter what you do, no matter what you say this election will never be won by NPP and its partners in Electoral Commission.”
But, in a statement issued by the Electoral Commission, there is neither printing of ballot papers nor any orchestration to favor the ruling party.
Parts of the statement said; “We would like to assure the General Public that printing of ballot papers has not commenced. Printing of Notices of Polls for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, however, begins on Friday, 11th October, 2024.
“As has always been the case, the Commission will provide ballot statistics to the Candidates/Political Parties and all Printing Houses before the printing of ballot papers starts. Printing of ballot papers will only commence after ballot statistics has been provided to all Stakeholders. The Commission will not depart from this practice.”
Read full statement below:
The Electoral Commission has taken note of some statements in the public domain to the effect that the Commission has not provided ballot statistics ahead of the printing of ballot papers for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
We would like to assure the General Public that printing of ballot papers has not commenced.
Printing of Notices of Polls for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, however, begins on Friday, 11th October, 2024.
As has always been the case, the Commission will provide ballot statistics to the Candidates/Political Parties and all Printing Houses before the printing of ballot papers starts. Printing of ballot papers will only commence after ballot statistics has been provided to all Stakeholders. The Commission will not depart from this practice.
We urge the Public and all Stakeholders to trust the Electoral Commission to deliver a transparent, credible, free and fair elections in December 2024.
Thank you.
Samuel Tettey
Deputy Chairman, Operations
Source: Ghmessenger.com
