Electoral Commission Denies Minority's Claims of Missing Biometric Devices

In a recent development, the Electoral Commission (EC) has refuted claims made by the Minority in Parliament regarding the disappearance of seven Biometric Verification Devices (BVD). The Minority Caucus had raised concerns about the alleged theft, fearing potential repercussions on the upcoming December 7, 2024, general elections.

Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, called upon the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the matter promptly. However, the EC has clarified in a press conference held on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, that none of its biometric verification devices have gone missing.

Addressing the media, Mr. Samuel Tettey, the Commissioner in charge of Operations at EC, stated that only five laptops belonging to the commission were missing, not the biometric verification devices as claimed by the Minority.

He emphasized that the missing laptops do not contain sensitive information that could impact the integrity of the upcoming elections. Additionally, Mr. Tettey highlighted that the biometric voter registration kits, which include laptops, cameras, scanners, and printers, are entirely separate from the Commission’s registration data systems, thus incapable of manipulating election outcomes.

Mr. Tettey clarified that the commission had discovered the theft of the laptops during routine maintenance, and these kits require specific activation to function accordingly, debunking any suggestions of manipulation.

The EC urged the CID and the Ghana Police Service to provide details of their investigations, emphasizing the importance of accurate information dissemination in safeguarding the electoral process.