Jean Mensa
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has disclosed that the just-ended elections conducted in 38,622 polling stations across the country and in 275 constituencies were funded internally without donor support.
According to her, the EC prudently used the resources generated internally to deliver on its mandate, stating that “we started this year with hope and promise, poised to reform and overhaul the core and critical aspects of our work on the very system on which credible and transparent elections hinged on.”
Declaring the presidential results on Wednesday, Mrs. Mensa said the commission subjected the procurement of its biometric voter management system and processes to a robust and rigorous procurement process.
“Even then, from the very onset we faced stiff opposition from within and without. As if that was not enough, we were hit by the COVID-19 when we least expected it,” she noted.
She said on the face of this, the commission remained resolute, determined to deliver credible, transparent, orderly, timely and peaceful elections in Ghana.
“We persevered throughout the lockdown to establish a strong and efficient system and processes that would stand the test of time. With hindsight, the commission was able to use the circumstances of the COVID-19 and the lockdown to our benefit. ”
“In there, we were able to use the time to reflect on our processes and structures, and to implement reforms within our institution, promoting competitive procurement processes as well as efficient and transparent electoral processes,” the EC Chairperson asserted.
Mrs. Mensa said this strategy involved the entire staff of the commission who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, burning the midnight oil to achieve the result we witnessed.
“Our mantra was that whilst the country may be on lockdown, as a commission, we had to keep moving forward to achieve the numerous tasks ahead of us.
“Here we are today. The results are evident for all to see. Indeed, the hard work, determination and focus of all the staff, coupled with God’s grace, have paid off,” she stated.
She indicated that the commission, today, had succeeded in reforming the entire biometric voter management system, procuring and deploying robust equipment and devices, including “our biometric verification devices, our biometric registration kits and our user-friendly software to govern the entire biometric voter registration and verification systems and a brand new data centre.
“All of which went through an international competitive tendering process. Today we can all be proud of a brand new biometric voter register that reflects unique individuals who are eligible to vote,” she noted and added that “with determination and focus, we were able to prepare a register that recorded 17,027,641 eligible voters in just 38 days in a rainy season.”
“Thankfully, the just ended election did not witness issues of missing names and misplacement of polling stations among others,” she added.
By Ernest Kofi Adu