EC boss blows cover on relationship with STL

Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana Charlotte Osei has finally broken her silence on the contractual relationship between the country's election management organization and Superlock Technologies Limited (STL).

The relationship between the Israeli data-management firm and the EC stirred controversy during the 2012 elections.

The matter recently came to the fore after the Minister of Interior in a statement indicated that STL transmitted electronic results of the 2012 elections to the EC.

Though Deputy Commissioner Georgina Opoku Amankwaa re-emphasised Former Commissioner Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan’s position that STL does not transmit results to the EC, Mrs Osei said electronic transmission of results is one of the contractual roles played by STL.

She, however, indicated that the transmission of results is done in the full glare of staff of the Commission.

“We sit with them. We work on it together”

She disclosed this in an exclusive interview on TV3’s Hot Issues, to be aired on Saturday, April 30 at 4:00pm.

‘Very closely’

The former Commissioner of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) said the EC works “very closely” with STL.

She announced that the results of the 2016 polls will not be collated in a secluded room, popularly referred to as the strong room, as done in previous elections.

According to her, accredited media officers will be allowed into what will be known as the National Results Collation Center to be mounted at the headoffice of the Commission.

Results will be collated there after they have been publicly displayed at each and every constituency collation center, she said.

This year’s elections are highly likely to be held on November 7, a date agreed on by all political parties, Mrs Osei revealed.

Therefore, from hence, as per the new regulation, which is before Parliament, elections she says will be held on the first Monday of November in every election year.