The Electoral Commission (EC) has debunked claims that the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) machines that are being used in the ongoing voters’ registration exercise are old machines.
“The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to fabrications by certain personalities regarding the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits being used by the Commission for the ongoing Voters Registration Exercise. These individuals have made it their avowed duty to mislead the public on the Commission’s work and processes,” the Commission said in a statement.
The Electoral Commission thus stated categorically that “40 percent of the BVR Kits being used are old kits, is an outright lie.”
It further added that the BVR kits being used for the registration are all new.
The Commission has thus challenged persons behind the assertions to name the centres where old kits are being used in the ongoing exercise.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all Kits currently in use for the Registration Exercise are brand new. There is not a single old obsolete Kit in the field. One would have thought that the individuals making the assertion would have indicated in the report where they saw the old Kits being used. The EC is challenging the authors of the misleading reports, to name the centres where the old kits are being used for the benefit of the good people of Ghana.”
Background
The Electoral Commission has started a compilation of a new voters’ register for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The Commission is thus doing away with the current register and it’s Biometric Voters Registration (BVR) kits.
According to the EC, the current BVR kits do not have the features it needs for the new register and has purchased new BVR kits.
The ongoing registration started on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, and it is being done phases
But there are media reports that the EC is still using the old BVR kits at some of the registrations centre.
This is the EC has denied outrightly
Below is the full EC’s denial statement