Party Agents in Western Region Ensure Electoral Integrity with Ballot Paper Cross-Check.

Takoradi: Political Party agents in the Western Region have cross-checked parliamentary ballot papers before they are sent to the Ghana Police Service's armory ahead of the upcoming general elections. The crucial step ensured the integrity and transparency of the electoral process, allowing agents to verify the accuracy of ballot papers and prevent any potential discrepancies.According to Ghana News Agency, the crosschecking process involved verifying the serial numbers and security features of the ballot papers to prevent tampering or counterfeiting. Agents from the various political parties and independent candidates who thronged the premises of the Rapid Deployment Forces (RDF) Unit of the Ghana Police Service in Takoradi for the exercise also ensured that ballot papers were properly sealed and stored to maintain their integrity.Madam Effe Wilson, Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency explained that the exercise was to allow the agents to chec k the serial numbers and security features of ballot papers to ensure authenticity and verify that ballot papers were properly sealed and stored to prevent tampering. According to her, party agents played a vital role in the electoral process since they served as representatives of their respective parties at polling stations and were responsible for monitoring the voting process, verifying ballot papers, and reporting any irregularities to the Commission."By engaging party agents in the crosschecking process, the Commission demonstrates its commitment to free and fair elections," she emphasised. Some of the agents who spoke with the GNA noted that as the region prepared for the parliamentary elections, the crosschecking of ballot papers served as a critical safeguard against electoral irregularities.They said their active participation in the process underscored the collaborative effort to ensure a credible and peaceful electoral process.