The electoral commission (EC) is set to dispose of the flawed ballot papers that were printed for the Ahafo and Volta regions in preparation for the upcoming elections.
In a press statement issued on Monday, November 18, Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman of Operations at the EC, stated that to ensure accountability and transparency in the polls, the Audit Department of the Commission accounted for all the spoilt ballot papers on Sunday, November 17.
“In the spirit of transparency and accountability, the Audit Department of the Electoral Commission on Sunday, November 17th, accounted for all the ballot papers printed for the presidential and parliamentary elections in the Ahafo and Volta regions, which will subsequently be burnt,” he said.
He added that the exercise was conducted at Fonstat Limited, one of the firms printing the 2024 ballot papers. The process was closely monitored by agents of the various political parties participating in the election, as well as officials from the Commission.
Meanwhile, the EC has yet to announce the date for the disposal of the papers. Mr Tettey confirmed that political parties and stakeholders would be informed in advance.
“The Commission reiterates its earlier commitment to inform the political parties and other stakeholders about the date and time for the disposal of the ballot papers, to allow them to observe the process,” he said.
The decision to burn the ballot papers follows the identification of errors in the serialisation of ballot papers for the Volta and Ahafo regions.
These revelations have sparked widespread discussion among Ghanaians, especially members of opposition political parties, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and the fairness of the upcoming December polls.
