General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has disclosed that the Electoral Commission’s recent comment on the alleged printing of one million ballot papers suggests their complicity in the matter.

According to him, Inno-link, printers of the country’s ballot paper, printed more than one million after the process had concluded and “certificate of destruction” issued.

The printed papers, Mr Nketiah noted, were discovered by “accident”, for which reason the EC issued a second certificate of destruction. This, the NDC General Secretary revealed, is “a very grievous criminal offence”.

Mr Nketia indicated that the party will change its decision on not implicating Inno-link and ensure that the police are brought in to actually find out who was culpable. He explained that Inno-link used the refusal of the NDC to take any measure on the matter as “weakness” on its part.

“Electoral Commission is complicit in what happened because the statement they issued last night seems to suggest that they actively want to stage a cover-up. In fact, the certificate of destruction which was shown by the Electoral Commission, was actually the second certificate of destruction when they were caught red-handed”.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia

Inno-link printing of ballot papers

Commenting on EC’s request for the Police to investigate John Mahama’s voter fraud claim, Asiedu Nketia explained that the party will want the Police to invite the EC and the management of Inno-link to conduct criminal investigations into their conduct during the printing of the ballot papers during the 2020 elections.

“We were hesitant to report the matter to the Police because Inno-link is a fledgling business… so, matters like this, if they escalate can affect the business interest of Inno-link. We thought that administrative measures will be taken to address the issue. So far, no such administrative measure has been taken. Inno-link has allowed the Electoral Commission to use this as an opportunity to malign us”.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia

Mr Nketia disclosed that to protect their image, Inno-link could have dealt with the staff who are complicit in the crime to protect their “international image”. He revealed that the EC’s reluctance to have Inno-link “delisted” as one of its main contractors and their subsequent denial of events happening “opens the door” for the party to press criminal charges.

“There is no expiry date for crime. We are going to pursue this matter. None of the criminal activities that took place during the elections has been prosecuted… So, the management of Inno-link should take it from us that there’s a big trouble ahead of them…”
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia

Touching on why the NDC did not bring up the matter of the additional one million ballot papers printed, Mr Nketiah revealed that the “issues” the party sentto Supreme Court “did not involve printing of ballot papers”.

“[We] didn’t need that printing to prove any case there, it’s a criminal offence on its own that could have been handled. For instance, when we went to the Supreme Court, we did not carry along issues about voter registration… and the fact that two registers were used in the election”.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia