The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concern about the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana’s plans to print ballot papers without a certified voters’ register ahead of the 2024 general elections.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, October 10, Dr. Omane Boamah, the NDC’s Director of Elections and IT, described the move as a dangerous attempt to undermine the integrity of the electoral process. He argued that without a certified register, the EC has no basis to determine how many ballot papers to print, increasing the risk of fraudulent excess ballots being introduced into the system.
Dr. Boamah highlighted that such actions could lead to vote tampering and jeopardize the democratic process.
He emphasized that this tactic appears to be part of a larger scheme by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rig the upcoming elections. According to Dr. Boamah, the NPP is determined to hold onto power by any means necessary, even if it means compromising the credibility of the elections. He referred to past instances of electoral violence and misconduct under the current administration, such as the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence and the killing of eight Ghanaians during the 2020 elections, to underline his point.
Dr. Boamah alleged that in the 2020 elections, the NDC discovered unauthorized printed ballot papers at one of the EC’s accredited printing firms, a situation that was not properly addressed. This, he believes, could be repeated in 2024 if the EC proceeds with printing ballots without a certified register. He warned that excess ballot papers could be used to stuff ballot boxes and manipulate results, which would ultimately disenfranchise the will of the people.
Despite these challenges, he said the NDC is determined to expose and resist any attempts at rigging. Dr. Boamah stated that the party has evidence suggesting that the majority of Ghanaians are in favor of the NDC and former President John Dramani Mahama. However, he cautioned that the NPP’s strategy to manipulate the electoral process could thwart the popular will. As a preventive measure, he urged the NDC’s polling agents to be vigilant in monitoring the voting and counting processes.
Dr. Boamah called on the public to be aware of these issues and resist any acts of electoral malpractice. He stressed the importance of preparing polling agents and ensuring that they are equipped to detect ande resist fraud at every stage of the process. The NDC, he asserted, would not rely on the courts to challenge the results but would hold the EC and the ruling party accountable through public vigilance and action.