The Electoral Commission has contracted six printing companies to undertake the printing of ballot papers for the December Elections. Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, Director of Elections at the EC who confirmed this to Joy News, said the Commission is currently printing the notice of poll and was hopeful printing of the ballot papers would start by the end of this week. “As we print the notice of poll which are normally called the miniature ballot, we are getting ready with the statistics and everything; and also writing letters inviting the political parties to be with us so that we can start the printing probably getting to the end of the week and then we start the ball rolling.” The contracted companies include Innolink Printing Press, Buck Press, Acts Commercial Printing House, Checkpoint and Yasarko Printing Press. To ensure adequate security and to safeguard the electoral materials, he said the EC has prepared its own security to watch over the printing; his outfit has also invited the various political parties to provide their own security to man the printing process. He advised the political parties to assign at least three persons who can run shift, in the morning, afternoon and in the evening. The Director of Elections said the Inspector General of Police has been requested to provide police personnel at the printing press. “We are as transparent as whatever… so all these people together with our own people and the political parties are there and they will watch 24 hours till we finish printing.” He said the media would not be prevented from playing their watchdog role in the course of the printing. Story by Isaac Essel