The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concerns over the integrity of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) IT system, following admissions by the EC during a Special Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on October 1, 2024.

These revelations come as the nation prepares for the 2024 general elections, with fears that IT vulnerabilities may compromise the electoral process.

In a press release on Tuesday, October 1, signed by the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the party highlighted several alarming issues that emerged during the meeting.

This includes what the NDC described as a “vulnerable EC IT system susceptible to data manipulation and infiltration.”

The opposition party warned that without addressing these flaws, the credibility of the December 2024 elections could be in jeopardy.

“Exploiting Weaknesses: A Threat to Democracy”

One of the key concerns raised by the NDC is the possibility of both officials and non-officials of the Electoral Commission gaining unauthorized access to sensitive voter data.

According to the party, these vulnerabilities pose a significant risk to the integrity of the election process, especially in terms of data manipulation.

“The Electoral Commission itself has admitted that its IT system is vulnerable. This is not just a technical issue, but a threat to the integrity of our democracy,” the NDC said in a statement.

“Criminals can exploit these weaknesses, and if not addressed immediately, we are looking at a compromised election.”

Missing and Corrupted Data: A Troubling Revelation

The opposition party also pointed to specific incidents, such as the presence of corrupted files in the 2024 Provisional Voters Register, which the EC claims to have “rectified and restored.”

However, the NDC remains sceptical about the effectiveness of these corrections.

In addition, the party criticized the EC for the creation of a “Missing Voters Register” to accommodate voters whose names were erroneously deleted.

“The fact that we have a ‘Missing Voters Register’ is worrying. It is an acknowledgement that critical data has been lost or compromised,” the NDC stated.

“We cannot allow these kinds of lapses to define the outcome of an election that millions of Ghanaians are counting on to be free and fair.”

Demands for System Examination

In response to these concerns, the NDC is calling for a multi-stakeholder examination of the EC’s IT infrastructure.

The party insists that such an audit, involving political parties and independent experts, is essential to safeguarding the election process.

“We demand a thorough, interparty examination of the EC’s IT system to address these vulnerabilities. This is not a partisan issue but a matter of national interest,” the NDC stated.

EC Promises Corrections, NDC Stays Watchful

While the NDC has accepted the EC’s promise to release a corrected version of the 2024 Provisional Voters Register for further scrutiny, it remains cautious.

The party has welcomed the EC’s decision to re-exhibit the updated register but recommended that the re-exhibition should be conducted both online and offline for greater transparency.

“We appreciate the EC’s commitment to releasing an updated register. However, we strongly urge that this re-exhibition is done both online and at exhibition centres to ensure maximum oversight and participation,” the NDC concluded.