The Electoral Commission (EC) has encountered shortages of presidential and parliamentary ballot papers in five constituencies in the Volta Region, as announced in a statement dated Thursday, 28th November. The Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey, signed the statement.
The affected constituencies include Keta, Ketu North, Ho Central, Hohoe, and Ho West in the Volta Region. The EC stated that the shortfall would be addressed by Acts Commercial, a printing company. The statement instructed political parties and independent presidential candidates to provide two representatives each to observe the printing process on Friday, 29th November 2024, at 10:00 am at the premises of Acts Commercials Printing House in Accra.
These shortages come on the heels of the commission burning ballot papers meant for the Volta and Ahafo regions due to serialisation errors.
In response to the EC’s statement, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the Director of Elections and IT of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), raised concerns about the repeated errors occurring in the party’s stronghold. In a statement shared on his Facebook page, Dr. Boamah demanded an explanation from the EC.
He stated that the NDC’s #EAGLEEYES team had observed the printing and bagging process at Acts Commercial and found that the ballot statistics submitted were complied with. Dr. Boamah called on the EC not to overlook the cause of this avoidable error and demanded an explanation for the shortfall in the Volta Region.
He pledged to address these concerns during an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting with the commission. Dr. Boamah’s statement on Facebook highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
In conclusion, the EC’s handling of the ballot paper shortages in the Volta Region has raised questions and concerns among political parties and stakeholders. The upcoming IPAC meeting will provide an opportunity for further discussion and clarification on the issue.
