By Henry Kargbo

The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) has vowed to sue defaulting contractors for their failures to comply with the terms and conditions of the contract awarded them for the printing of voter identity cards for the June 24 multitier elections.

This disclosure was made by the Chief Electoral Commissioner and National Residing Officer ECSL, Chairman Mohamed Kenewui Konneh, during a news conference hosted Tuesday 11 April 2023 at the Commission’s headquarter on OAU Drive in Freetown.

ECSL Chairman Konneh informed journalists that the suppliers will be brought to book for wrongly printing of over three million black and white voter identity cards -IDs for the approaching June 24, 2023, multitier elections in the country.

He reassured the public of addressing concerns being raised by citizens for distribution poor quality voter identity cards.

Commissioner Konneh informed journalists that the suppliers were not contracted to print black and white voter identity cards, as biddings were made from which nine companies bided, but only two companies responded.

He said that after the opening and evaluation of the bids, Lykos was successfully awarded the contracted to print over three million pieces of clouded voter identity cards, but the supplier ended up printing black and white voter ID cards for the June 24 polls.

Chairman Konneh reiterated that the contractors were expected to print 100% coloured voter identity cards but they did only 90% of the coloured printing and ignored the remaining ten percents, which is flagrant breach of contract with the ECSL. He added that action is underway to bring the company to book for the unstandardized work.

He said that as from 10^th April, about 1,500,12 voter identity cards have so far been distributed nationwide, noting that two thousand three hundred and twenty-four (2,324) photos less cards have been identified.

He said two hundred and forty-three cards with mismatched photos have also been identified and outlined three thousand one hundred and seventy-six misplaced registrations have also been identified.

The ECSL Chairman furthered that all photos of mismatched registrations have been taken using the mobile phone application and attestation issued in line with procedures, continuing that all misplaced registrations have been relocated to the correct registration centers.

He said that the identification cards are temporal and are used purposely for voting, pointing out that the card is sensitive to any fraudulent act, and that any attempt to defraud them can be easily identified. They are built in lamination with invisible ink, he reassured and added that all those with faulty cards will be readdressed by the Commission through the provision of certificates to voters to enable them to cast their votes.