The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) have called for a thorough investigation into the recent incident involving a defaced ballot paper intended for the Eastern Region, which was found outside the contracted printing house of the Electoral Commission (EC).

The EC has ordered a recall and reprinting of ballot papers for the Eastern and Western Regions after discovering a leakage in the initial batch. The Commission’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa, made the announcement at an emergency news conference on Sunday, December 1, confirming that the defaced paper, originally earmarked for destruction, had been taken out of Checkpoint Printing Limited, a company that has worked with the EC since 1992.

In response to the incident, the NDC and PNC have demanded a full investigation and accountability. The NDC’s Director of Elections, Dr Omane Boamah, called for an inquiry by various security agencies, including the National Investigation Bureau (NIB), to determine how the ballot paper was removed and to identify those responsible.

Dr Boamah expressed concerns about the impact on the credibility of the upcoming election, stressing that while the reprinting of the ballots was a necessary step, it did not fully address the potential risks. He questioned whether any arrests had been made in connection with the breach and urged security agencies to provide details about any suspects.

Similarly, the PNC’s National Chairman, Samson Awingobit, called for an investigation to identify the culprits and ensure they face appropriate consequences. He also stressed the importance of a transparent election process to maintain public trust in the EC’s operations.

The incident has raised concerns about the integrity of the election process, with the EC already facing scrutiny over issues such as a shortfall of ballot papers, serialisation errors, and the breach of seals on some ballot papers.

Source:TheDotNews