The Electoral Commission has clarified concerns about the security of their Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) as the nation prepares towards the major elections in December this year.
The EC’s response follows recent speculations on a memo titled “Return of Biometric Verification Devices” which was reportedly signed by the Deputy Chairman of Operations, Samuel Tettey.
EC, in the memo dated Thursday, March 7, 2024, directed its regional offices to return all outstanding BVDs to the head office.
The regional offices include Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Central, Upper East, Savannah, Northern, North East, Western North, and Volta.
However, the EC in a statement on Friday, March 22, 2024, described the memo in question, as a routine communication aimed at maintaining the accountability and proper return of all electoral equipment, including BVDs, to the commission’s custody.
The commission clarified that there have been no thefts of BVDs from their stores, contrary to rumours circulating on social media.
According to the statement, the only items stolen were five laptops, which are separate from the BVDs and cannot impact the integrity of elections.
“The memo in question, widely shared on social media, was a routine communication aimed at ensuring the accountability and returning of all electoral equipment, including BVDs, to the commission’s custody. This procedure underscores our rigorous asset management system, designed to maintain a transparent and accountable inventory of all Commission assets. This commission places high value on all its assets.”
They also assured the public that the BVDs are designed with sophisticated security features and cannot be utilized to compromise the integrity of elections without proper activation within the commission’s electoral framework.
The commission reiterated its commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity in its operations and protecting the credibility of the electoral process.
Additionally, the commission urged the public and all stakeholders to approach information dissemination with accuracy and responsibility to prevent the spread of unverified information that could undermine public trust in the democratic processes.
Find the full statement below;