The Electoral Commission has said that no allegation by the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson that seven (7) Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) have been stolen is not true.

These allegations are not true. No BVD has been stolen. To set the records straight, the Commission recently
undertook routine servicing of its Biometric Voter
Registration (BVR) Kits. It was during this maintenance that
we discovered the theft of five (5) laptops from the Biometric
Voter Registration kits, not seven BVDs as erroneously stated.
For clarification, Biometric Voter Registration Kits, which
comprise a laptop, camera, scanner, and printer, are entirely
separate from the Commissions Registration Data Systems
and are incapable of manipulating election outcomes as
suggested. These kits, though crucial for voter registration,
require specific activation to function accordingly. Without
such activation, they serve no purpose beyond their individual
components as a laptop, camera, scanner, or printer.
What this means is that, they are of no value beyond what
they were manufactured to be.
Similarly, the stolen laptops, cannot be utilized for voter
verification or registration. It remains just a laptop. As such,
they cannot be used to compromise our systems and
undermine the credibility of the upcoming elections in
December 2024. The integrity of our systems and elections
remain intact.
Again there seem to be some confusion as to the use of our
equipment. It’s imperative to understand that the Commission
utilizes two (2) distinct equipment for its operations: the
Biometric Voter Registration kits which is used for voter
registration and the Biometric Verification Devices to verify
voters using their fingerprints or facial features on election
day. These devices, in isolation, cannot fulfill the functions of
registration or verification without proper activation.
It is important to note that at the completion of every
registration exercise, all data captured are erased from the
laptops in a process termed ‘End of Life’. As such, we assure
the public that the stolen laptops contain no sensitive or
valuable data. Consequently, the theft bears no impact on the
integrity of upcoming elections, nor does it serve any political
agenda as insinuated.
Upon detection of the theft, the Commission promptly
notified security agencies involved in the maintenance
process, and investigations are actively ongoing to apprehend
and prosecute the suspects.
The Commission places high value on its assets including the
Biometric Voter Registration Kits and Biometric Verification
devices hence its continuous reliance on the Police and other
security devices to protect all its installations.
The Commission urges public figures and citizens alike to
exercise due diligence by verifying information before
dissemination. This responsibility is paramount to maintaining
public trust and preventing unwarranted fear or panic.
The Electoral Commission remains committed to upholding
the highest standards of transparency and integrity in its
operations and elections.