Richard Jakpa
In a shocking revelation that could shake the very foundation of the upcoming elections, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised alarm bells over the alleged overprinting of ballot papers by companies contracted by the Electoral Commission (EC). The opposition party claims that certain printing firms have exceeded their assigned quotas, potentially jeopardising the integrity of the electoral process.
Richard Jakpa, the ballot printing supervisor for the NDC, detailed these alarming findings during an exclusive interview with the press. He indicated that companies responsible for printing ballots for the Ashanti, Eastern, Savanna, and North East regions have printed an astonishing 3,000 extra ballots per constituency. With a total of 93 constituencies across these four regions, that adds up to an excess of 279,000 ballots—a figure that raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
Breaking down the numbers, Jakpa pointed out that the Ashanti region has 47 constituencies, the Eastern region 33, Savanna 7, and North East 6. When multiplied, the total excess ballots paint a troubling picture of potential electoral misconduct. “When I inquired about the excess ballots, the printing companies responded that it was to cover their internal operational losses,” Jakpa stated, expressing his disbelief over this justification, especially since other printing companies have not reported similar discrepancies.
Jakpa’s concerns are further fueled by the political landscape, as he noted that two of the regions with overprinted ballots are strongholds of the ruling party, while the other two are key battlegrounds for the NDC. “This raises the question of foul play,” he asserted. “Why are these companies behaving in such a manner, and why are they producing more ballots than necessary?”
The NDC is not only focusing on ballot overprinting; they have also called out the EC for what they describe as incompetence. In a separate but related incident, the party revealed that the contract with YASARKO was cancelled due to their struggles in fulfilling their obligations. Moreover, the Checkpoint printing company has also failed to deliver on its lot for the Central region, further adding to the party’s mounting frustrations.
Dirc]ector of Election, Dr Omane Boamah, highlighted the issues with other printing firms, noting that the FONSTAT printing company mishandled the serial numbers in one region, while Ghana Publishing experienced mechanical breakdowns on October 27, during their night shift, leaving them unable to print vital ballots.
Given these serious allegations and operational failures, the NDC is questioning whether the Electoral Commission is genuinely prepared for the impending elections. “How can the Commission claim readiness when there are so many inconsistencies and issues at the printing houses?” Dr Boamah asked, reflecting the growing concern among party leaders and their supporters.
As the countdown to the 2024 general elections continues, the NDC’s claims of ballot overprinting and mismanagement raise urgent questions about the credibility of the electoral process and whether the public can trust the systems in place. With integrity at stake, all eyes are now on the Electoral Commission to clarify these troubling allegations and restore confidence in the electoral process before it’s too late.
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