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We didn’t violate any law in auctioning BVDs – EC insists
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The Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Serebour Quaicoe, has justified 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 following the discovery of 10 BVDs at a recycling facility in Madina.
Despite the Electoral Commission’s clarification that the BVDs were outdated and lawfully auctioned, Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, argues that such actions constitute a misappropriation of state resources and necessitate an investigation.
In a face-to-face interview on Citi TV, Dr Quaicoe said they received permission from the finance ministry to auction their obsolete equipment, including the BVDs, adding that they acted within the law.
He detailed that the auction was properly advertised in the Daily Graphic and that the recycling company at Madina, which was one of six auctioneers, was selected after an interview process.
“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,” he disclosed.
He added that “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.
According to him, “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 worried about the brouhaha surrounding the auctioneering because they have not committed any offence.
“We’re not worried because we have not committed any offence. The documents are there,” he said.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced that the government has accepted the recommendation to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment as part of the constitutional review process.
He said the proposed amendment would affect Articles 3, 13, 19 and 72 of the 1992 Constitution, with offences that previously attracted the death penalty instead carrying life imprisonment.
Dr. Ayine made the announcement on July 30, 2026, at the Jubilee House in Accra during the Government Accountability Series while outlining the government’s position on the final recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee.
According to him, the government believes the death penalty is inconsistent with the constitutional right to life and Ghana’s international human rights obligations.
He explained that the recommendation forms part of broader proposals aimed at strengthening the protection of fundamental human rights under the Constitution.
Dr. Ayine said the government had also accepted the spirit of several recommendations to expand rights relating to women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and the youth.
He added that a comprehensive Human Rights Act would be introduced to protect these rights and provide detailed enforcement mechanisms instead of amending the entrenched provisions of the Constitution through a national referendum.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on both local and international investors to tap into opportunities in Ghana’s tourism, hospitality and creative industries.
Speaking in an interview yesterday with World Media USA Today, the Minister said government is committed to creating a conducive investment environment to support growth in the sector.
She highlighted key investment areas including hotels, fashion, music, film production, and tourism infrastructure.
Dzifa Gomashie also encouraged Ghanaians to invest in domestic tourism to help boost the local economy.
According to her, strategic investment in tourism and the creative economy will drive economic transformation, create jobs, and position Ghana as Africa’s gateway for heritage, culture, business and investment.
“Ghana has vast opportunities across tourism, hospitality and the creative industries. We are ready and open for business,” she stated.
The Minister’s remarks come as government intensifies efforts to leverage culture and tourism as drivers of economic growth and job creation.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
