Jean Mensa
The Electoral Commission (EC) has turned down a request by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for serial numbers of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits currently deployed in the field for the limited voters’ registration exercise to be supplied to the party.
The Commission said releasing these serial numbers to any external parties, including political entities, poses a substantial risk to the security and integrity of the registration processes.
“The Commission wishes to highlight that the integrity and security of our electoral processes are paramount,” the EC indicated in a statement released yesterday.
In a statement signed by the Acting Director of Public Affairs, the EC said 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,” it noted.
According to the Commission, it is for this reason that the serial numbers of its BVR kits have never been released to any entity or group since the biometric voting system was introduced in Ghana.
Specific Risks
The Commission explained that the serial numbers are integral to the security framework of the BVR kits.
“Disclosure of these numbers could potentially allow unauthorised access to the devices, thereby compromising integrity of the voter registration process,” the statement noted.
It added that knowing the serial numbers could allow for targeted attacks on specific BVR kits in certain parts of the country, creating chaos, political conflict, and operational challenges for the EC.
The Commission stated that the serial numbers could be used to facilitate fraudulent activities, such as phishing attacks, in which a criminal using the serial number can trick EC personnel into believing they are registration officials, potentially leading to unauthorised disclosures and access to sensitive information.
The EC said it follows a structured protocol for activating and operating BVR kits, which is designed to ensure that all devices are only used for their intended purpose and by authorised staff.
“Disclosing serial numbers disrupts this protocol and endangers the operational integrity of our electoral system,” it further argued.
Given the above potential risks that disclosing serial numbers of BVR kits could pose, the Commission noted that it is pertinent for stakeholders to address their minds to Section 7, Subsection 1 (j) of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).
The section provides in part that “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 BVR serial numbers have never been disclosed, the EC believes it is essential for the public to understand the transparency and accountability requirements that characterise its registration process and are codified in law.
Gazetted Centres
The EC stated that all voter registration centres are officially gazetted, and that all political parties and other stakeholders have access to this information, allowing them to monitor registered voters accurately and transparently at each registration centre.
“No voter registration data can be added to the voters register from any location that is not on the list of gazetted registration centres,” the EC noted, emphasising polling agent oversight, detailed reporting, and providing copies of the provisional register to all political parties.
By Ernest Kofi Adu