We saved Ghana $19m in 2020 elections – EC

The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that it has achieved a significant landmark regarding its procurement process and the resulting cost savings in election spending.

According to the commission, it has been able to reduce the cost per head in the election from $13 in 2016 to $7 in 2020, thereby saving the country a substantial amount of $19 million.

In a press statement on May 6, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, highlighted the commission’s efforts in enhancing efficiency and transparency over the past few years.

Since 2020, the EC said, it has implemented an open competitive bidding process for its procurements, with approximately 95% of procurements advertised in local newspapers.

This approach, according to Jean Mensa, has not only ensured value for money in services and materials but has also introduced significant competition, leading to a drastic reduction in procurement costs.

“… As such with approximately 95% of our procurement advertised in the local newspapers we can obtain value for money for our services and materials. It has equally ejected competition to our procurement drastically reducing the prices at which we procure our material.

“It is not a wonder that we managed to lower the cost of our election from $13 per head in 2016 to $7.7 per head in 2020 and saved our nation a substantial amount of $19 million,” she stated.