Story By: Ishmael Barfi
ACCRA, 21st OCTOBER 2024 – The Progressive Youth Federation Ghana and Eagle Eye Sight Ghana, led by Convenor Mr. Justice Yeboah, have raised serious concerns about the integrity of Ghana’s upcoming 2024 general elections.
At a press conference held in Accra on Monday, 21st October 2024, the groups called for the immediate exclusion of INOLINK, a private printing company, from the ballot printing process due to its controversial role in the 2020 elections.
Mr. Yeboah detailed allegations against INOLINK, claiming the company unlawfully printed over one million extra ballot papers during the 2020 general elections in collaboration with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission (EC).
He emphasized that these illegal ballots, discovered by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), contained the images of candidates from the first round of voting, contradicting INOLINK’s defense that the extra papers were intended for a possible runoff.
“This was a deliberate violation of Ghana’s electoral laws, aimed at undermining the democratic process,” Mr. Yeboah stated. Although the extra ballots were eventually destroyed after pressure from the opposition, the damage to public trust had already occurred. Despite this controversy, the Electoral Commission has once again awarded INOLINK the contract to print ballot papers for the 2024 elections—a decision Mr. Yeboah described as “a clear and present danger to Ghana’s democracy.”
The groups demanded that the EC immediately terminate INOLINK’s involvement and only work with companies that have a clean record of professionalism and transparency. They warned that failure to do so could seriously jeopardize the integrity of the 2024 elections.
In closing, Mr. Yeboah called on the public, civil society organizations, political parties, and all stakeholders to join the fight for electoral justice. “The 2024 elections are too important to be compromised by those who have shown disregard for fairness and transparency. Our democracy is non-negotiable,” he declared.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
