Ketu South ballot papers not ‘compromised’ – EC

The Electoral Commission in the Ketu South district of the Volta Region has denied accusations by executives of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that there has been a security breach in connection with presidential ballot papers for December’s polls in the constituency.

The party had accused the Ketu South district electoral officer of being behind the plot and said there was the need for the chairperson of the EC, Mrs Charlotte Osei, to come to the area to ensure the peace there is not compromised.

Speaking to Accra News, Enoch Amegbletor, the Deputy Communications Director of the NPP in Ketu South, said when officials of the contesting parties went to Ho on Wednesday to supervise the transfer of polling materials to the constituency, all bags containing presidential ballot papers for all the 22 constituencies of the Volta Region bore the safety seals, except that of the Ketu South constituency, whose seal had been “broken”.

“Upon thorough checks, when we opened the bag to check booklet by booklet, one booklet had [all ballot papers] thumb-printed for John Mahama; that booklet contained 100 leaflets. On another booklet, there was no serial number; on another the serial numbers followed no sequence,” he alleged.

He said this was uncovered in the presence of the regional boss of the EC, Selormey Adukpo Dogbe.

But responding, Mr Dogbe described the story by the NPP as a “lie”.

“I know nothing about the matter because yesterday when the papers arrived from Accra, all of us, including the police and political parties, checked and rechecked them before they were sent to the police armoury. So I have no idea what he is alleging,” he explained.

He said the ballot papers were “secure” and described the allegation as “unconvincing”, given many people witnessed the handing over of the ballot paper.

“…It’s just one of those things; I don’t believe it. And as I am talking, I know the papers are in the armoury of the Denu Police,” Mr Dogbe said.