By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has cautioned the Chairperson of Ghana’s electoral body, the Electoral Commission (EC) to halt any attempt to do away with the use of indelible ink during the 2024 pending general elections which is slated to take place on 7th December, 2024.
According to the largest opposition party, abandoning the usage of indelible ink during elections will give criminals field day to manipulate Ghana’s electoral system.
The NDC says it is strongly opposed to the EC’s decision not to use indelible ink in the upcoming 2024 general elections, expressing concerns about potential negative consequences for the integrity of the electoral process.
Addressing the media at a press conference held at the NDC Headquarters in Adabraka on Monday 8, 2024, the National Chairman of the NDC, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, emphasized the importance of retaining indelible ink, saying it is a crucial component of the election verification process.
The National Chairman of the NDC again underscored that discontinuing indelible ink usage at this stage could pave the way for illicit activities that may compromise the credibility of the elections.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah highlighted the multifaceted role of indelible ink in elections, stating that it serves as a visible and transparent means of verifying voters in addition to the biometric verification already in place.
“The NDC strongly opposes the removal of indelible ink because it visibly, transparently, and physically verifies voters in addition to biometric verification. Indelible ink marks and identifies voters to discourage and prevent them from engaging in multiple voting, particularly when there is apathy.” He added.
“What is the rationale behind abandoning a well-established and effective verification system?
Why do away with this multi-layered tried and tested verification system that adds additional credibility to Ghana’s electoral process?” Mr. Asiedu Nketiah questioned.
The NDC National Chairman further noted that “In the event of a malfunction of the Biometric Verification Device (BVD), if a voter attempts to vote twice or more, the surest and quickest way to identify such a criminal is the stain of indelible ink on the person’s finger. The EC must not make life easy for criminals to exploit our electoral process. Moreover, without indelible ink, a pliant EC official can allow a voter to vote whether or not the person is on the register at a particular polling station.”
