We saved Ghana $19million in 2020 elections – EC

The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced a significant achievement in its procurement process, resulting in substantial cost savings for election spending.

According to the commission, it has successfully reduced the cost per head in elections from $13 in 2016 to $7 in 2020, leading to savings of $19 million for the country.

In a press statement released on May 6, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, emphasized the commission’s dedication to enhancing efficiency and transparency over recent years.

Since 2020, the EC has adopted an open competitive bidding process for its procurements, with approximately 95% of procurements advertised in local newspapers. This approach, Jean Mensa explained, has not only ensured value for money in services and materials but has also fostered significant competition, resulting in a considerable reduction in procurement costs.

"...With approximately 95% of our procurement advertised in local newspapers, we can obtain value for money for our services and materials. It has equally injected competition into our procurement process, drastically reducing the prices at which we procure materials," she stated.

The remarkable reduction in election costs, from $13 per head in 2016 to $7.7 per head in 2020, reflects the success of these efforts and underscores the significant savings achieved for the nation.