Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, has defended the commission’s decision to auction obsolete Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs).

The IMANI Center for Policy and Education has called for an investigation into the auctioning of the BVDs after 10 of them were found at a recycling facility in Madina.

Despite the Electoral Commission’s explanation that the BVDs were outdated and lawfully auctioned, Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, argues that such actions amount to a misappropriation of state resources and require an investigation.

In a Face to Face interview on Citi TV, Dr. Quaicoe stated that they obtained permission from the Finance Ministry to auction their obsolete equipment, including the BVDs, and that they acted within the law.

He explained that the auction was properly advertised in the Daily Graphic and that the recycling company in Madina, one of six auctioneers, was selected after an interview process.

BVDs currently at Madina

“I want to put on record that the BVDs and BVRs were those which were used before 2020, we acquired new ones. So, once we acquired new ones, these ones were obsolete, we’re not using them. They were still occupying space, so the Commission wrote to the district valuer, STC, they did the evaluation of all the materials, and we have documentation to that effect.

“We sent permission to the Ministry of Finance seeking permission to dispose of. They also replied and gave us the permission to go ahead. The Commission interviewed six auctioneers and one of them was picked. And a little recycling company bought them located at Oyarifa, they have EPA approval to do all those things. The auctioneer advertised it, look for February 1, 2024, Daily Graphic.”

When questioned if the EC violated any law in the process of disposing of the machines, he responded, “Not at all, State valuer assessed it, we wrote to the finance ministry, approval was given, and the items were valued.

“They did interviews and the auctioneers auctioned the items. All the money generated was paid into the Consolidated Fund. We went through the legal means.”

He added that the commission is not concerned about the controversy surrounding the auctioneering because they have not committed any offense.

“We’re not worried because we have not committed any offence. The documents are there.”