The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is demanding written answers from the Electoral Commission (EC) regarding the recent theft of critical biometric equipment.
The theft, which occurred at the heavily surveilled EC headquarters, has sparked widespread concerns about the integrity of Ghana’s upcoming elections.
During a press conference addressed by Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, General Secretary of the NDC, on April 15, the party presented 35 critical questions to the EC, seeking detailed clarification on the circumstances surrounding the theft and subsequent actions taken.
These questions, compiled by the NDC, cover various aspects of the incident and aim to hold the EC accountable for its response.
The 35 questions posed by the NDC to the Electoral Commission are as follows:
- Have the missing kits been found?
- If so, when (date & time) and where were they found? How were the missing items discovered?
- How many kits are missing and cannot be found or traced?
- What are the serial numbers of the kits under discussion?
- Does the EC have the purchasing invoices together with serial numbers at the time of purchase of the missing items?
- Did the EC have an official recorded inventory of the missing items prior to the theft?
- Is there a present inventory of such sensitive items to aid a comprehensive inquiry that can allay the fears of stakeholders?
- When (date & time using CCTV) did the EC become aware that the items were missing, did the EC hold an immediate/emergency formal meeting to discuss the missing items?
- If yes: (a) who attended that meeting? (b) Are there minutes of that meeting? (c) Was it resolved at that meeting to report to the police?
- If it was reported to the police, what is the time lapse between the discovery of the theft and the report to the police?
- Who in the EC made the report to the police?
- Is there a formal extract of the report to the police?
- What is the status of the report?
- Is there a weekly/regular briefing on the status of the report?
- Has the EC received any statements or reports from the persons with personal charge of the kits regarding the loss of the kits? Kindly provide us copies of the statements or reports, if any.
- Did the police arrest the culprit(s)? Is or are the culprit(s) on bail? Is or are the culprit(s) still in Ghana?
- When was the last time these kits were deployed for purposes of voter registration?
- Where were the kits kept before they were deployed?
- Which registration stations used the missing kits?
- Who specifically was/were in charge of the kits when they were last deployed for registration?
- Did the missing kits contain any data of voters and EC apps?
- If yes, does the EC have backups for the data stored on the missing kits?
- If yes, had the data already been transferred either manually or electronically to the National Voters Register for purposes of voting in the future?
- What are the protocols for storing such devices at the EC headquarters?
- Were these protocols followed for the missing items?
- Who is personally responsible for the safekeeping of these items?
- The individuals responsible for these items, are they permanent or temporary EC staff?
- If temporary staff, how long have they worked for the EC?
The remaining seven questions relate to missing Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) and their deployment to polling stations.
The NDC’s decision to pose these questions underscores its commitment to ensuring the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process and holding the EC accountable for its actions.
By seeking detailed answers to the questions raised, the NDC aims to provide transparency to the Ghanaian public and prevent any potential compromises to the upcoming elections.
By Noble Crosby Annan