Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has expressed his strong approval in response to the Electoral Commission of Ghana’s (EC) recent decision to permanently abandon the use of traditional indelible ink.
According to Manasseh, this progressive move by the EC signifies a positive shift towards embracing modern technology. While the indelible ink has been a crucial tool in preventing multiple votes during Ghana’s electoral processes, the EC now deems it outdated in light of advancements in technology.
“The issue of indelible ink is when we were not doing biometrics we were basically using your face, your card. We look at your face and we say this picture looks like you…The biometric technology makes it difficult for a person who has been verified and cast their vote to come a second time. So, there is no need for indelible ink. Once you have been verified, it goes into the system and you cannot come back a second time,” the EC Chairperson explained.
Given the rejection of the move by the EC, particularly by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Manasseh Azure Awuni shared his viewpoint on the matter.
“The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has said it intends to phase out the use of indelible ink to mark those who vote on Election Day to stop them from voting twice. The EC says the biometric verification system Ghana now uses is designed such that once you’re verified, you can’t vote again when you return to the polling station. I have heard some NDC members opposing the change, but I have not heard them raise any superior argument.
If technology can do what the ink was doing, why do we keep the ink? It would cut costs and voting time if the ink is taken out. As the Chairperson of the EC challenged, those opposing the decision should test the system in today’s district-level election.
If there isn’t any problem with the change, we should get rid of the ink and use biometric verification,” Manasseh wrote on Facebook.
