Liberia: PPCC - NEC Ignored Malfunction and Failure of Ekemp's Equipment to Print Biometric Voter Card

21 October 2022
FrontPageAfrica (Monrovia)
By Lennart Dodoo

Monrovia — The Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC) has for the second time rejected the National Elections Commission's (NEC) request for approval to award Ekemp/Palm Insurance the contract to supply Biometric Voter Registration equipment, software and materials for the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.

The PPCC in its response to the NEC's request for no objection to the award of the contract, stated that its review of the video of the re-demonstration exercise observed malfunctioning of Ekemp's equipment used to print the biometric voter ID on the spot as required. Ekemp also failed to print within the time NEC allotted.

The PPCC raised eyebrows at the NEC acceptance of the late submission of the card by Ekemp.

PPCC: "The Inability of the NEC's recommended bidder Ekemp/Palm Insurance /INITS (J.V) to print the PVC card on the spot as required by the NEC, and within time, showed uncertainty on the usage of its Equipment and raises doubts on the effective workability as required for the issuance of a printed PVC card to a registrant during the Voter Registration period;

"That a material failure in the functionality of a Bidder's (EKEMP) Biometric Equipment that is required to print a registrant voter card on spot, must be taken into serious consideration by the NEC, the State's Elections Management Body; for such could be a Potential High Risk for the upcoming First Biometric Voter Registration Exercise for Liberia, that is covering the country in its entirety.

"That ignoring the malfunctioning and failure in a biometric equipment functionality to readily print the PVC card, on the spot as required is a major anomaly, and as such the NEC should not have deemed EKEMP as the most responsive company for this contract package.

The PPCC admonished the NEC to immediately revert to expeditiously review the remaining companies and select a company that would be most suitable for the Supply of Biometric Voter Registration Equipment, Software and Materials for the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.

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