EC provides clarification of BVDs found at recycling company
By Daniel Nonor
The Electoral Commission (EC) has clarified that the Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) found at a recycling company in Madina were obsolete devices which had been legally auctioned.
The clarification comes after ten outdated BVDs were discovered at a recycling plant in Madina on Thursday, 18th of April.
According to the EC’s Greater Accra Regional Director, upon receiving information about the BVDs, she promptly reported the matter to the Police, who subsequently retrieved the devices.
Upon inspection, it was confirmed that these were old 2012 BVDs, which had been legally auctioned to a recycling company.
The Electoral Commission explained further that the BVDs in question were acquired prior to the 2012 elections and were subsequently utilized by the current Commission for the 2019 District Level Elections (DLE).
Furthermore, the EC clarified the context of a previous administration’s investment of US$56 million for the refurbishment of Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs), Biometric Voter Registration Kits (BVRs), a Data Centre, and other equipment in preparation for the 2018 Referendum and the 2019 DLE.
The statement clarified that the Managers of the Commission’s Biometric Infrastructure had repeatedly emphasized that the equipment had reached their End of Life, rendering them obsolete and unfeasible for maintenance.
Despite these warnings, the previous Commission proceeded with the decision to refurbish the obsolete BVDs, BVRs, and other equipment, with the intention of using them for the 2018 Referendum and the 2019 DLE.
However, the current Commission canceled the contract for the total refurbishment, opting instead to conduct the 2019 DLE using the available equipment without exhausting the allocated US$56 million.
This clarification aims to dispel any misleading narratives regarding the disposal of the obsolete BVDs and provides transparency on the Commission’s decisions regarding the management of electoral equipment.
The Electoral Commission reassures the General Public of its commitment to upholding the integrity of electoral processes and urges the public to refrain from spreading inaccurate information on social media platforms.
