The Electoral Commission (EC) has called on members of the public to disregard claims that excess ballot papers are being printed for the elections.

It explained that aside from the number of registered voters on the poll book for each polling station, the EC had agreed with the political parties and other stakeholders to print two per cent extra ballots, as had been the convention.

The Deputy Commissioner in charge of Corporate Services, Dr Eric Bossman Asare, who made the call, was speaking to journalists after he had led an EC delegation to take the media to some of the printing houses working on the ballot papers for the December 7 general election.

“I do not think the NDC, the NPP or any political party will be keenly monitoring every stage of the ballot paper printing process; taking the ballot statistics, putting their seals on bagged ballot papers and still allow extra ballot papers to be printed,” he said.

Printing press

Though six companies are involved in the printing of the ballot, the tour was to three facilities — Acts Commercials Ltd, Buck Press and Innolink.

At each of the locations, agents of political parties, representatives of independent candidates, the police and national security operatives were there to observe the process.

Transparency

Dr Asare said the commission was optimistic that with the level of transparency and the vigilance party agents and other stakeholders were exhibiting at the printing houses, every printed ballot paper would be accounted for in the conduct of the polls.

"Printing is done with the full participation of political parties, and we are happy that the party agents are working together with all other stakeholders for quality assurance and transparency,” he stated.

The Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Benjamin Bannor-Bio, also explained that the visits formed part of efforts to deepen transparency in the electoral process.