USAG Election Cancelled: Executives’ Failure to Print Ballot Papers Sparks Chaos
The University Students Association of Ghana (USAG) election, scheduled for today, September 8th, 2024, at the KNUST campus in Obuasi, ended in chaos before it even began. The election was cancelled due to the outgoing executives’ failure to print ballot papers, leaving student delegates who had arrived to cast their votes shocked and disappointed.
As the day unfolded, candidates and their supporters grew increasingly frustrated upon learning that the executives had no plans in place to print the ballot papers, despite the police’s concerns about the history of violence in student elections. The police engaged in talks with the USAG executives and the election management team to reschedule the election, as printing the ballot papers on the same day would have delayed the polls into the night.
In an attempt to resolve the issue, the regional Police commander proposed that the existing ballot papers be embossed with the electoral commission’s stamp for authentication. However, Emmanuel Osei Karikari, popularly known as Karibrain, the head of the election management team, rejected this solution.
The cancellation of the election has left the candidates and their supporters feeling disappointed, confused, and concerned about the future of the USAG leadership. The botched election raised questions about the competence and preparedness of the outgoing executives and the election management team.
