Mahama calls for investigation into ballot paper irregularities

President-elect John Mahama has demanded an immediate investigation into the possession of illegal ballot papers by unauthorized individuals during the recently concluded elections. Speaking with representatives from minority political parties, Mr. Mahama emphasized the need for stricter measures to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, highlighting concerns over ballot paper security.

Reports of police arrests during the election revealed that several individuals were found with large quantities of pre-thumbprinted ballot papers. Mr. Mahama voiced his deep concern over the apparent security lapses surrounding the printing and handling of ballot papers, suggesting that these issues may be contributing to electoral malpractice.

“There remain serious questions about how people are obtaining EC-issued ballot papers, and we must ask: how are they getting these papers? Who is printing them? Who is distributing them? How are they able to access the Electoral Commission’s plates to replicate these ballots?” Mahama stated.

He called for a thorough investigation into the sources of the ballot papers and urged authorities to take immediate action to ensure the transparency and credibility of future elections.

Additionally, Mahama raised doubts about the Electoral Commission’s reliance on local printing companies to produce ballots. Given the ongoing issues with ballot paper duplication and leaks, he suggested that Ghana might need to explore the option of outsourcing the printing of ballots abroad. “If we continue facing problems with ballot paper leaks, it may be necessary to consider printing these ballots outside the country,” he remarked.

The president-elect also addressed the role of security printers, urging them to implement stricter safeguards. “If printing companies are serious about maintaining their business, they must ensure that these issues are resolved, as they undermine the entire electoral process,” he warned.

Another area of concern raised by Mr. Mahama was discrepancies in the pink sheets, the documents used to record voting results. He pointed out that different versions of the pink sheets were sometimes presented at the coalition center by parties and the Electoral Commission, which raised suspicions of possible manipulation by electoral officials.

Mahama stressed that these issues must be addressed promptly to ensure the continued credibility of Ghana’s elections and to maintain public trust in the electoral system.