Biometric devices must be audited – Haruna Iddrisu
3rd September 2024
Former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu has called for an immediate audit of all biometric devices the Electoral Commission (EC) plans to use for the 2024 election.
This demand comes after the NDC’s call for a forensic audit of the voters’ register. The Tamale South MP has also expressed concerns about the illegal transfer of voters from Pusiga to his constituency.
He pointed out how easily voters can be transferred from Tamale South to Pusiga and voiced his hope that this practice is not widespread, as it could affect numerous other constituencies.
Mr Iddrisu said that the committee responsible for overseeing the Electoral Commission, or the Speaker of Parliament, should invite the EC Chair for questioning.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Mr Iddrisu said, “Mr. Speaker, the Electoral Commission has 75,000 biometric devices which would be used for the purpose of conducting the presidential and parliamentary election on December 7.”
“Those biometric devices need to be subjected to some technical audit to know the state of their batteries, the state of their adapters, the state of their readiness for the election on 7th December, and we would require the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission to come and notify this House how ready the biometric devices are.”
Meanwhile, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, has criticized the Electoral Commission’s published parliamentary nomination forms, pointing out several errors, including a clause requiring candidates to declare that they are not registered voters.
He said that, for example, Paragraph 11 under Part 4 of the parliamentary nomination forms states: “I declare that I am disqualified as a registered voter under all related laws in this country.”
Mr Dafeamekpor noted that such a declaration would make a candidate ineligible to contest the parliamentary election.
“So, the Electoral Commission must be called upon to make amendments to these errors contained in the form, for a new form to be released for members who are contesting in the election to be able to fill them out, complete them properly, and submit them.”