The Electoral Commission (EC) has suspended an electoral officer over the illegal voter transfer from the Tamale South and Sagnerigu constituencies in the Northern region to Pusiga constituency in the Upper West region.
The transfers, the EC said, were done without the knowledge of the voters involved.
The electoral body says it discovered this after its preliminary investigations into irregularities arising from the recent voter exhibition exercise, revealing the unlawful transfer of 38 voters.
The EC disclosed at a press briefing that these transfers were conducted using the credentials of an EC official, with records captured in the Voter Management System (VMS) audit logs.
It was discovered that facial verification of voter ID card photos was used to facilitate these illegal transfers.
“Preliminary investigations by the Commission have revealed that voter transfers were indeed effected for 38 individuals using the credentials of an Electoral Commission official,” Bossman Asare, the deputy chairman of the EC in charge of corporate services, said.
“The records of those transfers are captured in the Voter Management System’s (VMS) audit logs. A look at the verification done during the transfer process shows that photos of the voters from their voter ID cards were used for facial verification and to effect the transfers,” he added.
He told journalists that the EC has therefore launched an investigation into the matter across the country.
It has also introduced a ‘liveliness check’ in its verification process to prevent future occurrences.
“Following this incident, the Commission has introduced a ‘liveliness check’ in the verification process, which is a feature designed to ensure that the biometric data being captured is from a live, present human being and not from a spoofed source, such as a photograph, which is what was done in this case. The ‘liveliness check’ has since been built into the system to prevent any such future occurrence,” he said.
“The Commission is currently investigating. While the Commission does not have any evidence to believe that this occurrence is widespread, we have instituted investigations to ascertain if similar incidents occurred elsewhere beyond the reported case in the Tamale South and Sagnerigu Constituencies. Any such transfers will be reversed, and the perpetrators of such acts shall be dealt with according to the law,” Bossman Asare said.
“Following preliminary investigations, the Commission has suspended the Pusiga District Electoral Officer and has invited him to respond to the Commission’s findings. Once the investigations are concluded, the Commission will take the appropriate action and inform the public accordingly,” he added.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
