Policy think tank IMANI Africa has formally petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), calling for a full-scale investigation into the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana.
The move is in response to what IMANI describes as the “firesale of electoral equipment for scrap”—a scandal they say is riddled with procurement breaches, waste, and serious data risks.
Here are 7 key claims made by IMANI in their petition:
1. Alleged breaches of the law
IMANI accuses the EC of violating constitutional, statutory, and administrative laws in the disposal of thousands of electoral devices including laptops, cameras, fingerprint scanners, and printers.
2. Wastage of scarce national resources
According to IMANI, the EC’s actions amount to misappropriation and misuse of resources—especially at a time when Ghana is under IMF fiscal supervision and struggling to service its debts.
3. False claims about equipment obsolescence
The think tank disputes the EC’s claim that the devices were all obsolete. IMANI says the equipment was acquired and refurbished between 2011 and 2019 and could not all be outdated.
4. Conflict of interest and corruption concerns
IMANI alleges that the disposal process was influenced by vendor favoritism, potential corruption, and a deliberate attempt to erase records and cover up misleading procurement claims.
5. Improper disposal of sensitive voter data
The petition highlights that the equipment contained biometric and polling data. IMANI questions whether proper data protection protocols were followed or if the devices could be exploited by bad actors.
6. Failure to ensure value for money
IMANI insists that the devices—some costing over $3,000—should have been donated to state institutions or sold through a transparent public tender process as required by law.
7. Call for anti-corruption scrutiny
The group is also considering referring the matter to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for a corruption risk assessment and pledges to keep the public informed on further developments.
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