Accra
Nov. 19,
Ghanadot/GNA
- The
Electoral
Commission
(EC)
said on
Wednesday
it would
add 10
percent
ballot
papers
to every
polling
station
in the
forthcoming
presidential
and
parliamentary
elections.
"This
additional
ballot
papers
is to
prevent
shortage
of
papers
at the
polling
stations
and
enable
transferred
voters
to cast
their
vote, Mr
Albert
K. Arhin,
Director
of
Elections
at the
Electoral
Commissions
made
this
known at
a day’s
training
for
journalists
in
Accra.
The
workshop
which
was on
the
theme:
"Safeguarding
the
integrity
of the
ballot"
sought
to
educate
the
media on
the
processes
of
elections,
the role
of
journalists,
and the
need to
ensure
accurate,
transparent,
balanced,
free and
fair
reportage
to
maintain
the
nation’s
peace.
He said
the
nation
had
chalked
successes
with
regards
to its
electoral
process
that
included
the
switch
from the
use of
wooden
and
aluminium
ballot
boxes to
transparent
ballot
ones
sealed
to
prevent
cheating.
Mr Arhin
said for
the
first
time in
the
history
of the
nation,
the EC
had
formed
an
Inter-Party
Advisory
Committee
(IPAC)
at the
national
level,
the
Regional
Inter-Party
Advisory
Committee
(RIPAC)
and the
District
Inter-Party
Advisory
Committee
(DIPAC).
He said
the
basic
mandates
of these
institutions
were to
serve as
advisory
body to
the EC
and also
make
suggestions
on the
transformation
of some
of the
electoral
processes.
Mr Arhin
said the
Commission
had also
made
know to
the
public,
agencies
that
were
printing
the
ballot
papers
and had
collaborated
with
various
political
party
representatives
to
observe
the
printing
process.
He said
as part
of
measures
to
prevent
double
voting,
the
silicon
content
of the
indelible
ink had
been
increased
from 15
to 25
percent.
He said,
"It was
childish
for some
of the
political
parties
to say
that the
EC had
already
rigged
the
elections,
explaining
that
systems
put in
place
would
not
permit
the
Commission
to do
so."
“This
fact
cannot
be
substantiated
because
from the
commencement
of
voting
to the
count of
the last
ballot
paper,
it is in
the
clear
view of
the
various
political
party
representatives”.
To
enhance
the
integrity
of the
elections,
the EC
had also
invited
two
party
representatives
each to
the
control
room of
the
Commission
to
witness
and
track
the
result
as it
comes
from the
various
constituencies".
Mr Arhin
said the
Commission
recognised
the
immense
contribution
of the
media
towards
the
organisation
of the
previous
elections
but
advised
professionals
to
report
on only
what was
pertaining
at the
polling
stations
and
avoid
embellishment
and
exaggerations
in their
reportage.
GNA
