The Electoral Commission (EC) has reacted to claims by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that it is printing extra ballot papers in an attempt to rig the general election on December 7.
Director of Electoral Services, Dr Serebour Quaicoo, said the electoral body is undertaking the printing together with the political parties, hence cannot compromise the exercise.
The NDC’s Campaign Coordinator, Prof Joshua Alabi alleged that over 150,000 excess ballot papers are being printed without notice to the political parties.
“The NDC found out that the assembly press is printing the extra ballot papers in another location on their premises, on the blind side of the agents of the political parties,” he alleged.
What is even worrying, Prof Alabi added is the failure by the EC to give political parties ballot statistics from all the printing houses.
But, reacting to the issue on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, Dr Quaicoe said there is no cause for alarm.
He explained that, all political party agents have been given the ballot statistics thus the NDC’s claim is inaccurate.
The EC Director of Electoral Services indicated that, the five percent ballot papers is to cater for errors in the elections and will not end up in the stronghold of any political party as it is being alleged.
“Every constituency has a serial number so if a direct serial number appears in a constituency, it is foreign ballot, you cannot use it,” he noted.
Dr Quaicoe maintained that, the EC works with international standards and they are working hard to win the trust of the political parties.