The Electoral Commission (EC), yesterday, declined a request by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), for the Commission to release the serial numbers of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits deployed for the limited voter registration exercise.
In a statement signed by the Acting Director, Public Affairs, Michael Boadu, the EC stated that releasing the serial numbers to external parties could pose major risks to the security and integrity of the electoral system and its operations.
“Releasing these serial numbers to any external parties, including political entities, poses a substantial risk to the security and integrity of our registration processes. That is why this has never been done since biometric voting system was introduced in Ghana,” the Commission expatiated.
The specific threats, the EC outlined as that it would compromise of Kit security, targeted manipulation risks, phishing and fraud such that “Serial numbers could be used to facilitate fraudulent activities, including phishing attacks, where a criminal with the serial number can trick EC personnel into believing they are registration officials, potentially leading to unauthorized disclosures and access to sensitive information,” amongst others.
“The Electoral Commission has nothing to hide. It is important to note that the demand for serial numbers of BVRs, if granted, could pose major risks to the security and integrity of our electoral system and operations. Prevention of such risks by declining this request, far outweighs any concerns and interests of individual stakeholders.
The EC said it had put measures in place to ensure the transparency of the ongoing registration exercise, stating that they have nothing to hide.
Read below the full unedited statement from the EC:
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION REACTS TO NDC’S REQUEST FOR SERIAL NUMBERS OF BVRS DEPLOYED FOR THE ONGOING VOTERS REGISTRATION EXERCISE
The Electoral Commission wishes to address the NDC’s request for serial numbers Of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) Kits currently deployed in the field for the Limited Voters Registration Exercise.
The Commission wishes to highlight that the integrity and security of our electoral processes are paramount. Each BVR Kit, as a critical component of this process, is assigned a unique serial number. This number plays a crucial role in the operation of these devices, particularly in the generation of activation codes essential for their functionality as well as tracking their location and movement.
Releasing these serial numbers to any external parties, including political entities, poses a substantial risk to the security and integrity of our registration processes. That is why this has never been done since biometric voting system was introduced in Ghana.
The specific risks are as follows:
- Compromise of Kit Security: The serial numbers are integral to the security framework of the BVR Kits. Disclosure of these numbers could potentially allow unauthorized access to the devices, thereby compromising integrity of the voter registration process.
- Targeted Manipulation Risks: Knowledge of the serial numbers could enable targeted attacks on specific BVR kits located at certain parts of the country, thereby causing chaos, political conflict and operational challenges.
- Phishing and Fraud: Serial numbers could be used to facilitate fraudulent activities, including phishing attacks, where a criminal with the serial number can trick EC personnel into believing they are registration officials, potentially leading to unauthorized disclosures and access to sensitive information.
- Operational Integrity: The Electoral Commission maintains a structured protocol for the activation and operation of BVR Kits, designed to ensure that all devices are used solely for their intended purpose and by authorized personnel only. Disclosing serial numbers disrupts this protocol and endangers the operational integrity of our electoral system.
- Given the above potential risks that disclosing serial numbers of BVR kits could pose, it is pertinent for stakeholders to address their minds to Section 7, Subsection I (j) of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), which provides in part as follows: “Information is exempt from disclosure where the information contains matters which if disclosed can reasonably be expected to …endanger… a system including computer and communication systems for which security is reasonably required.”
While disclosure of serial numbers Of BVRs has never been done, it is essential for the General Public to recognize the following measures of transparency and accountability that characterize our registration process and which are enshrined in law:
- Gazetted Centres: All Voter Registration Centres are officially gazetted, and all political parties and other stakeholders have access to this information, allowing them to track accurately and transparently registered voters from each registration centre. There can be no voter registration data added to the voters register from any location that is not on the list of gazetted registration centres.
- Polling Agent Oversight: Political Parties have Polling Agents present at all Registration Centres, ensuring direct oversight of the registration processes.
- Detailed Reporting: The Commission provides “start-of-day” and “end-of-day” reports detailing the number of persons registered at each registration centre.
- Provisional Register: All Political Parties receive a copy of the provisional register prior to the Voters Register Exhibition, to enable them to scrutinize the Provisional Register and to identify any issues that they want to raise during the Exhibition.
- Final Register: All Political Parties receive a copy of the final register and can still raise any issues they have with the Commission.
- Participation in DRRC Process: All Political Parties are actively involved in the District Registration Review Committees (DRRC) established in each district, to examine challenges related to the registration of voters in the district.
All Political Parties participate in the DRRC process, further ensuring fairness and transparency.
- Participation in Adjudication process: As an added layer of transparency and accountability, all Political Parties form part of the Adjudication Committee established to deal with multiple registrations which the Biometric system flags after the Voter Registration Exercise.
These measures underscore the transparency of the ongoing Limited Voters Registration exercise. The Electoral Commission has nothing to hide. It is important to note that the demand for serial numbers of BVRs, if granted, could pose major risks to the security and integrity of our electoral system and operations. Prevention of such risks by declining this request, far outweighs any concerns and interests of individual stakeholders.
The Commission has the mandate to conduct elections independently, and we have demonstrated our capacity to do so effectively and impartially. We urge all political parties to cooperate with the Commission to administer the electoral processes without undue interference.
- MICHAEL BOADU
- DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS
