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The Electoral Commission (EC) addressed concerns over missing devices in its inventory ahead of the 2024 elections.
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Deputy Chair, Bossman Asare, clarified that five laptops—not seven Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits as earlier reported—were missing.
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He assured that the lost laptops contained no voter data and posed no risk to the integrity of the elections.
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Asare explained that Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) cannot function unless activated and linked to the EC’s system.
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He stressed that missing gadgets would have no effect on the elections unless fully integrated into the EC’s infrastructure.
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Initial reports from the Minority in Parliament suggested seven biometric devices were stolen, but the EC sought to calm fears and reaffirm its preparedness.
To alleviate public anxiety after missing gadgets were found in its inventory, the Ghanaian Electoral Commission (EC) has taken measures to guarantee that the next presidential and parliamentary elections would not be impacted.
Deputy Commission Chair Mr. Bossman Asare addressed the issue at a press briefing on March 20, 2024, explaining that, contrary to earlier reports of seven missing Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits, only five laptops were missing. He emphasized that these misplaced devices did not pose a threat to the integrity of the vote process.
According to Mr. Asare, the disappearance of the missing laptops won’t affect the election’s outcome because they contain no voter data or other crucial information. He explained that even if a Biometric Verification Device (BVD) was taken, it would remain unusable without activation and connection to the EC’s system.
He went into great detail about the operation of the BVRs and BVDs, emphasizing that these tools are only useful if they are integrated into the EC’s registration and verification processes.
As such, each individual absence would not impact the election unless they were fully functional and connected to the EC’s infrastructure.
When the missing gadgets were first reported missing, there were early concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament, which alleged that seven biometric devices had been stolen. However, the goal of Mr. Asare’s comments was to allay worries and reiterate the EC’s readiness for the approaching elections.
