Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has supported calls from the minority leader, Ato Forson for the Electoral Commission (EC) to continue using the indelible ink during elections.
On the floor of parliament on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, the MP for Suame said “Mr Speaker, the minority leader has alluded to some commissions on the part of the EC including in particular not to use indelible ink in the next elections. Mr. Speaker I raised concerns after the conduct of the district-level elections and I agree with my colleague”.
The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana at a press conference on December 19 ahead of the district-level elections announced that the Commission has decided to do away with the indelible ink in the district level election and subsequent polls.
“The issue of indelible ink, the question is when we were not doing biometric we were basically using your face, your card. We look at your face and we say this picture looks like you. The biometric technology makes it difficult for a person who has been verified and cast their vote to come a second time. So, there is no need for indelible ink. Once you have been verified, it goes into the system and you cannot come back a second time,” she said.
But welcoming members to the house after weeks of recess, leaders of both sides of the house believe doing away with the indelible ink will result in double voting stating that, a voter can cast his or her ballot in Accra and without the indelible ink can travel to the North to vote.
“As far as some of us are aware, the EC’s database is not linked to each other outside the regions. so it is possible for one person to vote in Accra and travel to Bole to also vote”, the Majority leader stressed.
He is therefore appealing to the EC to continue using the ink to prevent double voting.
