Opposition to removal of indelible ink by EC due to mistrust – National Peace Council

Ghanaian

George Amoh, the Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, has attributed the resistance of some Ghanaians to the Electoral Commission's proposal to eliminate indelible ink from the 2024 general elections to a lack of trust in the institution.

He emphasised the importance of building trust among citizens to garner full support and cooperation for electoral processes.

Speaking at

Read full articlethe inauguration of Denmark's Support for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13 and 16, Amoh urged efforts to bridge the trust deficit between citizens and state institutions, particularly as the country approaches elections.

On December 18, 2023, the Electoral Commission announced plans to discontinue the use of indelible ink in the 2024 elections and beyond, citing a desire to enhance the electoral process and establish a robust identification system.

However, the Minority in Parliament raised concerns, asserting that the EC's decision contravened the 1992 Constitution. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) expressed apprehension that eliminating indelible ink would open the door to activities compromising the integrity of elections.

In response to the announcement, NDC National Chairman Johnson Aseidu Nketia emphasised the party's strong opposition, highlighting the visible and transparent nature of indelible ink, which adds credibility to the electoral process.

He argued that indelible ink serves as a multi-layered, tried-and-tested verification system, particularly useful in identifying voters in the event of a malfunction in the biometric verification device (BVD).