'Pink sheet' controversy: EC’s reply to NPP reassuring - Atik

The General Secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Atik Mohammed, has stated that the Electoral Commission’s response to the New Patriotic Party’s concerns over the printing of pink sheets is reassuring.

The NPP on Tuesday alleged that the pinks sheets that are being printed by the election management body for the December 7, polls are without serial numbers. According to the party, that could affect the credibility of the forthcoming polls.

“This is not acceptable. It affects the integrity of the base document for the declaration of results,” the Director of Elections for the New Patriotic Party Martin Adjei Korsah said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission has said publicly that Pink Sheets will have serial numbers. We are, therefore, surprised to be told at the final hour of printing by those contracted to print that they have been instructed by the same Commission not to bother putting serial numbers on the Pink Sheets,” the statement added.

But in a response, the EC debunked the claim by the NPP stating “It [is] very regrettable for a political party to engage in pre-emptive allegations and suspicions with the intention to unnecessarily heighten public tensions ahead of the elections.”

Commenting on the development on Morning Starr on Wednesday, the PNC’s secretary said that “I think the issues raised by the NPP is quite legitimate.”

Nonetheless, he added, the “words from the EC are quite assuring but we need further re-assurance,” urging the commission to allow “our representatives to have some access to the printing area so as to ensure transparency.”