EC reduces cost of 2020 elections by almost half

The cost per voter in the just ended 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections amounted to about GH¢40.78 translating into seven (7) US-Dollars seven (7) cents.

This is a drastic reduction from the previous cost of the exercise held in 2016, which was about GHS 70 translating into thirteen dollars.

Mr Michael Boadu. Director for training at the EC who disclosed this said the Commission made a massive total savings of GH¢523,409,980 (million) or $90,243,100 (million).

He noted that what led to the cost of reduction were stringent steps taken by the Commission to ensure transparent and fair procurement practices.

Mr Boadu said, the substantial savings was enabled by the procurement methods employed, which saw 95 percent of the procurement being done by an open-competitive tendering process.

“With the exception of the printing of ballot papers, which had security implications and the production of TV and Radio adverts, all other procurements were done openly through the new papers”.

He held that the COVID pandemic hiked the cost of the elections in that the Commission procured the requisite Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) for some 240,000 staff.

Additionally, Mr Boadu stressed that other PPEs such as sanitizers set of veronica bucket, Liquid Soap, Tissue paper, Wipes, and Thermometer Guns, were procured for all over 38,622 polling station during the entire registration period, exhibition, and election day.

Mr Boadu disclosed that the pandemic impacted the production and supply of most of the offshore items, and had to be transported by air, unlike in 2012 and 2016 when these items came by sea. This further hiked increased the cost greatly.

The Director of Training noted that unlike in 2012 and 2016 when the Commission was tax-exempt, in 2020 the Commission paid full tax for all Offshore items.

Mr Boudu said, “The material procured for the replacement of voters register was for an estimated 18 million persons. In 2016 however, preparation was made for some 3 million persons,” he said.

“Again in 2020, the Election Commission used 44,067 Registration Officials over 38 days; over 71,734 Exhibition Officials over 10 days and over 231,732 Election Officials for 1 day”.

In addition, between 2016 and 2020 we increased the number of polling stations by 10,000, this means that the Commission hired 146,122 more staff working on an exhibition and Election Day alone and yet we managed to reduce the cost per person by almost half.