Charlotte Osei, EC Chairperson
Companies shortlisted to bid for the contract to electronically transmit election results have begun their presentations to demonstrate how they will execute the project.
The exercise is expected to last for three days and will see all the companies make presentations to the tender committee of the Electoral Commission (EC), Political Parties and Civil societies in attendance.
The Commission’s decision to electronically cart elections results to a national tallying centre courted severe criticism from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). It accused the commission of unilaterally taking the decision and that exercise is illegal.
It, however, emerged that the NPP through its former National Chairman, late Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey mooted the idea per a document presented by Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Addressing journalists last week, he cited a portion of the NPP’s proposal which reads: “…The commission may adopt the use of satelite transmission of results to the national tallying center pending the receipt of pinksheet from the regions.
“In this regard the EC should consider procuring handheld scanners to scan and send all pink sheets to Accra before collation and receipt of hard copies.”
Later, the acting National Chairman, Freddie Blay in a Daily Guide publication last week said “…Nobody in the NPP has said that the party is not aware of plans by the EC to introduce e-transmission of election results.”
But “What we are complaining about is that in the latter stages the party is being kept in the dark as to the process involved in the transmission,” he added.
Confirming the commencement of the demonstration exercise to Accra-based Joy FM Wednesday, Deputy Communications Director of the Commission, Yussif Alhassan Ayuba, said all the political parties including civil societies are taking part in the activity to ensure the process is open and fair.
He said it was not only members of the EC who are on the Commission’s tender panel. “…We have people from external bodies” and that the winner of the bid will be announced immediately after the exercise, he said.
-Starrfmonline