Pressure group Election Watch Ghana has alleged that the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana is planning to award the contract for printing ballots and notices of polls for the December 7 election to Assembly Press and Buck Press.
They claim this decision represents a clear conflict of interest since the heads of both printing companies have political ties.
In a press release dated Wednesday, October 9, Election Watch Ghana stated, “The EC’s intention to award ballot printing and notices of polls to Assembly Press (led by David Asante) and Buck Press (led by Mr. Buckman) reeks of cronyism and corruption. This blatant conflict of interest undermines the EC’s independence.”
The statement, signed by convenors Mark Ewusi Arkoh and Jude Balma, also criticized the EC for its recent Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, describing it as “a festival of corruption and collusion between EC officials and self-serving politicians.” They expressed concern that this situation has eroded public trust and compromised the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process.
As a result, the group is determined to ensure that a credible register is used for the upcoming general elections.
They have called for the establishment of a multi-party auditing team to verify the register’s credibility.
“The demand for a multi-party team to examine the IT system should be accepted by the EC, and we hope they will not fill it with their lazy corrupt surrogates, but with experienced and nationalistic representatives from political parties, free from EC interference.”
