Returned spoilt ballot papers will be replaced - EC

The Birim South District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Stephen Agyei-Yeboah, has said voters should return spoilt ballot papers to the Electoral Commission (EC) officials for them to be replaced.

He said as soon as the spoilt papers were put into the ballot box, they would be counted as rejected ballot papers.

“When you make a mistake in thumbing the paper, just go and tell the EC official and he or she will replace it and keep the spoilt one in an envelope,” he said when addressing the congregation of the Apam Catholic Church.

Mr Agyei-Yeboah said the NCCE’s responsibility was to educate the electorate on why they should vote and the Electoral Commission how to vote and urged Ghanaians to take note of the duties of the two Commissions and stop apportioning blames for the failure of one to discharge its duties.

He said, for example, when a large number of rejected ballot papers were recorded in the 2008 elections, Ghanaians accused NCCE of failing to educate the electorate on the voting process, a responsibility of the EC.

Mr Agei-Yeboah appealed to the government and the EC to find means to control high spending by political parties in election year as the huge spending was the bane of political upheaval when parties lose elections.

He said those who lost the elections became wild after counting the cost and added “tension can reduce if the cost of electioneering campaign can be controlled”.

The Rev Fr Jude Eduafo Ampah, Parish Priest, called on politicians to be tolerant of opposing views to make the elections peaceful.

The Rev Fr Patrick Amonoo, the Assistant Parish Priest, appealed to politicians to back their prayer for peace with deeds.

“We cannot be praying for peace when we promote violence in our hearts,” he said.

Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, Gomoa West District Chief Executive, appealed to Ghanaians to help to make the elections incident-free.