Allegations of EC printing more ballot papers ‘much ado about nothing’ – Bossman

Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare, has brushed aside allegations by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the commission is scheming to overprint ballot papers for the December 7 polls.

The NDC had alleged that the Commission was secretly increasing the number of ballots being printed above the prescribed five percent, to aid the ruling party rig the December polls.

They claimed the Assembly Press, one of the contractors printing the ballot papers, was secretly printing more ballot papers on the blind side of party agents monitoring the process.

In his words, the concerns are “much ado about nothing”.

Speaking in a one-on-one interview with TV3’s Roland Walker, Dr. Bossman said the EC is well prepared for the elections.

“As we speak now all the parties have the registers, we have given it to them”, he stated.

“That was a much ado about nothing largely because the printers we are using, they are Seven in all...when you look at the pedigree of these companies [those printing the ballot papers], for some of them we started using them in 1992...these are long standing printing houses with the credibility”.

According to him, the opposition should not have an issue with the use of Assembly Press, headed by NPP’s David Asante, because it is a state property which is being passed from one government to another.

He insists the printing of the ballot papers follows due process as it is being supervised by agents of all the political parties.

Dr. Bossman believes the allegations are borne out of sheer politicking.