The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has criticized its representatives who prematurely signed a pink sheet for the bye-election in the Kumawu constituency, even before the completion of voting and vote collation.
Dr Serebour Quiacoe, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, expressed disappointment in the unprofessional conduct of those involved, emphasizing that they failed to follow instructions.
“We should not only be thinking about the EC. After our officers made that mistake, they gave it to the polling agents of both NDC and NPP to also sign, which was also wrong. Let’s educate the party people,” stated Dr Quiacoe, emphasizing the need for all parties to understand the proper procedures.
He made this known in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen Monday.
Regarding the punishment for the officers involved, Dr Quiacoe mentioned that they would be blacklisted since they did not manipulate the figures on the pink sheet.
He clarified that there is no law that mandates imprisonment for individuals who sign a pink sheet, but the most appropriate action in this case is to blacklist them from participating in future elections.
“There is no law that states that when a person signs a pink sheet they should be jailed, and so the only thing we can do is to blacklist. What they did was wrong as it was an administrative error. The fact that they didn’t go ahead and put wrong figures, then it was a mistake,” explained Dr Quiacoe, highlighting the distinction between an administrative error and a deliberate attempt to manipulate results.
Dr Quiacoe’s comments came in response to a viral picture of a pink sheet from the bye-election in the Kumawu constituency, which showed it had been signed by polling agents and EC officers before the conclusion of voting and collation.
Some members of the NDC raised concerns about the premature signing of pink sheets, but Dr Quiacoe pointed out that the EC officer had shown a lack of diligence in following the correct procedures.
READ ALSO:
Kumawu: EC reveals why signed pink sheet at Oyoko polling station was cancelled
Kumawu by-election: Already signed pink sheet pops up at voting centre
Kumawu residents unhappy with pace, quality of work in roads construction
 has criticized its representatives who prematurely signed a pink sheet for the by-election in the Kumawu constituency, even before the completion of voting and vote collation.){kind=link}