NDC to file RTI request over missing Electoral Commission laptops and BVDs

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) intends to submit a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Electoral Commission (EC) to obtain information regarding the missing laptops and Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs).

During an appearance on Newsfile on JoyNews, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the NDC Director of Elections, criticized the EC for not being transparent about the extent of

Read full articlethe alleged theft. He expressed doubt about the EC's assurances that the missing items would not jeopardize the integrity of the 2024 general elections.

"We will file an RTI on this. We will also officially send the questions to the EC and we will push to the farthest extent. As our national chairman has indicated, an independent audit of the EC’s IT system will be non-negotiable," Dr. Omane Boamah stated.

This development follows a previous call by the Minority in Parliament for urgent police action after reports of seven biometric devices going missing, raising concerns about potential implications for the upcoming elections.

However, the Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare, downplayed the situation, stating that the missing laptops and devices would not affect election integrity or outcomes.

Despite this reassurance, Dr. Omane Boamah remains concerned, noting that the missing BVDs have been absent for over a month and were only brought to public attention by NDC legislators.

The EC has stated that individuals suspected of involvement in the theft of the missing BVDs have been handed over to the police for investigation, aiming to hold them accountable if found guilty. Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, confirmed that the police have been investigating the matter for about a month.