By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, June 20, GNA – The Electoral Commission (EC) has reacted to reports violating procurement laws in reprinting the ballot papers for t024 presidential and parliamentary polls.
The reaction of the Commission followed reported leakage of the Western and Eastern regions’ ballot papers.
The Commission said it followed due processes and received the necessary approval from the Central Tender Review Committee (CTRC) before engaging the services of three printing houses to reprint ballot papers for the two regions.
Dr Bossman Asare, the Deputy Chairperson of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, told Parliament in Accra on Thursday denied the procurement breaches when he appeared before the House to answer questions from the legislators regarding the 2024 general elections.
Dr Asare, who represented EC Chairperson Jean Adukwei Mensa said upon receiving a message from the National Security operatives on Friday, November 29, 2024, to the effect that, there was a leakage of a ballot paper, the EC informed all the political parties during an Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Sunday, December 1,2024, to address the matter.
In that meeting, he said, the EC, together with the political parties, identified Inolink, Buck Press and Arts Consult Limited, as three printing houses that could reprint ballot papers within the limited time.
Therefore, the Commission wrote to the CTRC on Monday, December 2, and it was granted approval to reprint the ballot papers since the election was scheduled to take place on December 7,2024.
Dr Asare said due to that development, the EC had to reschedule the special voting for the Western and Eastern regions while all the other 14 regions were having a special voting for individuals who would work during the December 7 polls.
Dr Asare explained that the EC used competitive tendering process in selecting the printing houses, noting, “so, there was no breach of the procurement laws”.
The Deputy EC Chair also rejected allegations of negligence on the part of the EC, which led to leakage, explaining that the police and representatives of the political parties were involved in the distribution of the ballot papers.
Asked about the cost for reprinting the ballot papers, Dr Asare said it cost the nation GHS 3,621,281 in reprinting new presidential ballot papers and GHS 2,442,329 on the parliamentary side.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah