The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described as unfounded allegations by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the Electoral Commission (EC) is printing pink sheets without serial numbers.
The NPP in a statement on Tuesday said it was informed by Aero Vote, the company contracted to print the pink sheets that there would not be any embossment of serial numbers on the document.
This, the party said is contrary to what had been discussed at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting.
But the EC in a counter statement debunking the allegations said the 3,000 extra pink sheets being printed without serial numbers are meant to replace any of the polling station-specific and personalised pink sheets which have serial numbers.
“In respect of this personalisation, and in anticipation of possible mistakes and cancellations by Presiding Officers on these forms, provision has been made for the printing of 3000 extra copies of the Forms to cater for such unplanned incidents. These 3000 extra copies have been designed with a different colour, with the words “REPLACEMENT” embossed on them for ease of differentiation. The replacement forms cannot, therefore, be confused in any way with the personalised polling station specific forms.
“It is false that Aero Vote was awarded a contract worth US$8.95 million for the printing of the Statement of Polls and Declaration of Results Forms. The contract awarded to Aero Vote by the Commission is way below US$2 million in value (GHS7.2 million),” the EC said:
NDC Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said all the political parties were duly informed by the Commission that the supplementary Pink Sheets that would be made available to the various constituencies for use in the event of a shortage of the original document would not have serial numbers.
According to him, he could not fathom the basis of the opposition party’s claim against the EC
He pointed out that 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.
“We were duly informed by the EC that supplementary pink sheets would be printed in case there is shortage of the original and so what at all is their problem. I think it is just a ploy to create fear and panic in the country because their allegation is just unfounded,” he said.
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