Policy think tank IMANI Africa has formally petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate what it labels as the “misappropriation”, “misuse”, and “wastage” of public resources by the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana.
Signed by IMANI’s President, Franklin Cudjoe, the 15-point petition calls on CHRAJ to probe the EC’s procurement and subsequent disposal of biometric voter management system (BVMS) equipment, which the group alleges has resulted in significant financial loss and a potential breach of procurement and data protection laws.
The petition questions the EC’s justification for procuring new election equipment in 2020, at the cost of millions of dollars, despite many of the previously acquired items being relatively new or refurbished. IMANI maintains that several devices declared as “obsolete” in 2020—including biometric voter registration kits and verification devices—were purchased or upgraded as recently as 2018 and 2019.
According to IMANI, the EC failed to properly assess, classify, and value these items prior to auctioning them in 2023. The group contends that this allowed valuable equipment to be sold at undervalued prices and possibly inappropriately bundled with junk assets like unserviceable vehicles.
IMANI’s investigation revealed that thousands of these disposed-of items later turned up at a recycling facility, Electro Recycling Ghana, raising red flags about data security and proper disposal protocols. The group claims the EC neither ensured secure data wiping nor worked with certified data protection entities.
The petition further alleges a lack of transparency in the selection of auctioneers and questions whether Sanidaso Mart, the auction house mentioned by the EC, is properly registered. IMANI believes these lapses point to procurement irregularities and a broader intent to avoid public accountability.
In calling on CHRAJ to act, IMANI stresses that the EC’s conduct undermines public trust, violates procurement laws, and potentially compromises the personal data of millions of voters. The group is urging a full investigation to determine breaches of the Constitution and applicable administrative regulations.
Read the full petition here.
