The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has announced an urgent recall and reprinting of ballot papers designated for the Eastern and Western Regions following a breach in their security. The incident was disclosed during an emergency press briefing held on Sunday, December 1, 2024, by the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa.
The leakage was discovered when National Security identified that a single defaced ballot paper from the Checkpoint Printing Limited Printing House had been removed from the facility. This ballot, which was intended for destruction, was improperly taken out of the printing house, triggering a full-scale recall to protect the integrity of the upcoming election.
The EC revealed that the reprinting of the ballots will now be handled by Dark Press and Innolink. In response to this development, the special voting exercise originally scheduled for Monday, December 2, in the two affected regions has been postponed to Thursday, December 5. General voting remains on track for Saturday, December 7.
To distinguish the reprinted ballots from the compromised ones, enhanced security features will be added to the new set. Jean Mensa emphasized that these measures are critical to ensuring the transparency and credibility of the electoral process. “The total recall of these ballot papers is necessary to safeguard the integrity of the election,” she stated.
The EC assured the public that all political parties and candidates involved have been informed and have endorsed the decision to recall and reprint the ballots. This marks the second time the Commission has faced such challenges during this election cycle. Earlier, ballot papers for the Ahafo and Volta Regions were also reprinted due to errors identified during the initial printing phase.
Additionally, the Commission is working to resolve reports of ballot shortages in certain constituencies, including five in the Volta Region. These shortages, according to the EC, are being addressed promptly to ensure all regions receive the correct allocations before the election day.
This latest incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of the EC’s preparedness for the 2024 general elections, with critics pointing to lapses in its operational efficiency. However, Jean Mensa reaffirmed the EC’s commitment to delivering a free, fair, and transparent electoral process.
The EC has reiterated its appeal for calm and patience from all stakeholders as it works to address these logistical and security challenges. The Commission believes these proactive measures will restore public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the December 7 polls.
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