The Electoral Commission (EC) has come out to address concerns regarding the shortage of ballot papers ahead of the upcoming general elections. Contrary to public perception, the shortage is not limited to the Volta and Bono regions alone. The commission clarified that the decision to reprint ballots in some constituencies is part of the standard verification process employed to ensure a transparent election.
In response to public concerns over two separate letters sent to political parties, the EC explained that the shortages were identified during a double verification of the ballot papers by the regional staff. The affected constituencies include Keta, Ketu North, Ho Central, Hohoe, and Ho West in the Volta Region, as well as Berekum East and West in the Bono Region.
During an IPAC meeting, Dr Bossman Asare, the EC’s Deputy Chairperson in charge of Operations, emphasized the transparency of the commission’s actions. He stated, “It is important to note that in the spirit of transparency, the Commission notified the political parties and presidential candidates to enable them to inform their agents to observe the reprinting of the ballots as well as the destruction of the faulty ballot papers. The question is who discovered it and who is requesting a reprint? The Commission has nothing to hide.”
Dr Bossman Asare further revealed that similar shortages also occurred in the Greater Accra, Western North, Upper West, Western, and Bono East regions. He added, “So the Volta Region and the Bono Region are not exceptions. The political parties were also informed in writing, and the reprinting was done. Why the noise about the shortfalls for only the Volta Region? If the Commission had anything to hide, it would not transparently call for a reprinting of the ballot to make up for the shortfall.”
The EC urged the public to disregard critics who seek to manipulate the issue for their own interests. The commission remains committed to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process for all parties involved.
