Election Watch Ghana drags EC to RTI for details on ballot paper printing contract

Election Watch Ghana has petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC), seeking detailed information about its procurement process for printing ballot papers and notices of polls for the upcoming 2024 general elections.

In an earlier statement, the group raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest in the selection of Assembly Press and Buck Press for the contract.

They claimed that the heads of both companies have political ties to the ruling NPP government, raising questions about impartiality in the selection process.

The petition, copied to the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, requests specific information about the tendering process, including the date and medium of publication for the printing contracts.

The group has also sought details on the companies that submitted bids, such as their names, addresses, contact information, business registration documents, and relevant experience in similar projects.

Election Watch Ghana also requested information on the criteria used to select the successful bidders, including the evaluation methodology, weighting of criteria, and the scoring system.

The group further called for an investigation into potential conflicts of interest involving Assembly Press and Buck Press, demanding the release of the investigation report, findings, recommendations, and any actions taken.

Citing Section 18 of the Right to Information Act, the group emphasized that every citizen has the right to access information and expects a response from the EC within the legally mandated 14-day period.

They warned that failure to comply with the request may lead to an appeal to the Information Commission, as outlined in Section 29 of the Right to Information Act.

Read full petition below: