Election offences: Issue directives to presiding, security officers - CODEO urges EC, police

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has expressed concern about the incidents of vote-buying and the photographing of cast ballots.

It has, therefore, called on the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Election Security Task Force to issue strict directives to presiding officers and security offices on what actions to take when they witness election offences.

“This will help forestall similar occurrences during the December 7 polls. CODEO urges the Ghana Police Service to update the public on any such actions,” it stated.

It also called on the Ghana Police Service to take swift action against all such cases, including those reported in the media.

This was contained in its report issued in Accra and signed by it National Coordinator, Albert Arhin, after monitoring December 2, 2024 special voting in 14 regions. The special voting in the Western and Eastern regions will take place today.

Critical incidents 

It said the detection of a missing serial number/ballot paper (numbered 0000046) from the ballot booklet at Sefwi Akontombra in the Western North Region led to a minor misunderstanding at the polling station.

It explained that it was caused by a missing serial number from the sequence of serial numbers in the ballot booklets.

“However, officials and party agents later resolved the issue, reporting a case of missing serial numbers,” it said.  
 

Thumb-printed ballots  

The statement said observers from CODEO reported critical incidents that compromised the secrecy of the vote, such as voters taking a picture of their ballot after thumb-printing it.  

It said at the Cape Coast North Constituency in the Central Region, a voter attempted to photograph his vote, but the security officials intercepted him.  

“At Ablekuma South in the Greater Accra Region, a voter went into the voting booth and photographed the ballot paper showing her vote for the presidential candidate,” it noted.

It said at Walewale in the North East Region, a party agent and security officials intercepted a voter who photographed their vote before casting the ballot allegedly to receive money, while in Bolgatanga Central in the Upper East Region, a police officer photographed his vote.

“The matter was subsequently reported to the police inspector on duty at the polling station,” it noted and indicated that at Navrongo Central, also in the Upper East Region, an EC official and a police officer were seen taking pictures of their respective ballots but both were taken into police custody. 
 

Vote-buying 

The statement said at Keta in the Volta Region, some party representatives at the polling station gave money to people who voted for their candidates while at the Weija-Gbawe Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, “some individuals believed to be NPP party representatives were at the polling station's gate, giving out GH¢100 and GH¢500 to voters to cast their votes for the NPP candidates.  

It said in Jaman North, located in the Bono Region, a non-uniformed police officer (who doubles as a key member of the incumbent MP's security detail) attempted to prevent the NPP party chairman and several representatives from sharing money.

“CODEO has also been monitoring news reports about purported instances of vote-buying by the NPP, the NDC, the New Force movement, and the Movement for Change in specific constituencies,” it noted.

It mentioned some of the constituencies as Awutu Senya East in the Central Region, Ayawaso West Wuogon in the Greater Accra Region and Tema Central in the Greater Accra Region. 
 

OSP

It acknowledged the interest taken by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in these matters.

It called on all political parties to refrain from those practices, which were deeply damaging to the integrity of the electoral process, and on voters to refuse any attempts of inducement and freely express their right to vote on December 7.