FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 29TH NOVEMBER, 2024
The recent announcement by the Electoral Commission (EC) regarding a shortfall of ballot papers, has raised several questions. It is unclear whether the EC is up to the task and dutiful enough to deliver the accountability that every well-meaning Ghanaian wants. And whether the EC is not negligently causing financial loss to the state.
Also, party agents, are expected to be present at the printing houses 24/7 to assist and ensure that the EC prints and distributes the correct quantities and qualities of ballot papers including the additional 2% for contingency purposes.
It is ALSO THE RESPONSIBILITY of these party agents to verify that the ballot papers are accurate before they are transported to the various regions.
Furthermore, party agents should be present at the REGIONS to take delivery and inspect the ballot papers.
This raises questions about how this shortfall occurred without notice and the transportation of the ballot papers was allowed to proceed, and so at what point of the delivery process were these shortfalls detected?
The African Electoral Institute is concerned that things like this should not happen barely a week to the elections.
We therefore urge all stakeholders to exercise high vigilance and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
We call on the EC to provide clarity on the following:
- Detection of the Shortfall: How was the shortfall detected?
- Party Agent Involvement: Were party agents present during the printing, transportation, and delivery of the ballot papers as well as this detection?
- Contingency Measures: What measures are in place to prevent such occurrences, and how will they ensure the integrity of the electoral process?
The African Electoral Institute remains committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and fairness in the electoral process.
END.
SIGNED
Joshua Adjin-Tettey
Director of Communications and External Relations
0540904550
About Us:
African Electoral Institute ( AEI) is a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) founded to deliver sustainable electoral solutions to Emerging and Developed Democracies to strengthen, augment, and build electoral stakeholders capacity and participation on electoral issues through electoral education on voter’s rights and freedom, electoral research, election monitoring, election observation, election results collation, election security awareness and training of polling agents and elections directors underscoring the fact that “elections are won at the polling stations’’ and the participation of all identifiable electoral stakeholders in an electoral process such as Political Parties, Governmental Institutions, underpinning transparency and accountability for a free, fair, and credible elections in Africa and the wider world.
We are on: africanelectoralinstitute.com
X: @AFRICANELECTORA
Lindedin: African_Electoral_ Institute
#ntegrityofChoice
