Election 2020: We are satisfied with printing of ballot papers – NPP

The governing New Patriotic Party has intimated that, unlike the opposition National Democratic Congress, it has no issue with the printing of ballot papers being undertaken by the Assembly Press.

Evans Nimako, the Director of Elections for the NPP noted that the party is satisfied with the process and has no reason to be suspicious of collusion by the Electoral Commission and the Assembly Press to print excess ballot sheets.

Evans Nimako disclosed on Okay FM that instead of the NDC making allegations against the EC, it should focus on training its agents to appreciate the electoral process.

He said that based on reports by agents of the NPP, the party is absolutely satisfied with the printing of ballot sheets.

“NDC should get agents who understand the process so that they will give them appropriate feedback. Our agents went through training and understand the printing process so if they have issues then there’s nothing we can do. We are okay with what our agents have reported.”

“EC has a tendering committee that I believe did due diligence in selecting Assembly Press. Assembly Press is not a property of the CEO, it belongs to the state. Whatever you do, the NDC will raise issues but we believe that whatever the EC does, the battle is still the Lord’s and Nana Akufo-Addo will win the elections,” he stated.

His comments come on the back of allegations by the Campaign Manager of the NDC, Professor Joshua Alabi that the EC has printed extra ballot sheets without the knowledge and consent of the political parties.

“By convention and practice, the EC prints an extra 5 percent of the total registered papers to cater for spoilt ballots at each polling station. What is surprising this time around is that the EC is printing an additional 5 percent of the total registered voter per constituency with padding in the total number of ballot papers to be printed. What is translated into is that more ballot papers are being printed in excess of the 5 percent extra ballot papers required for each polling station,” he stated.

He added, “From the Ballot Statistics received from the Printing Houses as coming from the EC, we have analysed the figures from 13 regions and observed that there is an excess of over 150,000 ballot papers being printed beyond the extra 5% required.”

He asserted that Assembly Press are also printing additional ballot papers at an unknown location.

“Just last night, the NDC found out that the Assembly Press is printing additional ballot papers in another location at the premises of the agency on the blind side of the political parties,” the NDC stated.