Unlike in Nigeria, Ghanaians can now ‘queue’ online for voter registration

Ghana’s electoral commission has introduced a digital system that enables citizens begin voter registration process from the comfort of their homes.

According to the commission, this is to ensure that the process of compiling the register of voters for elections is ongoing, while ensuring the safety of citizens during the COVlD-19 pandemic.

With the new digital system, by dialling a short code or applying online, an eligible voter can book a slot at a local registration centre of choice.

This way, the number of people that visit the registration centres at a given time is limited.

Applicants are also expected to comply with the outlined COVID-19 protocols such as the use of face masks and sanitisers at the registration centres.

Ghana’s electoral commission claims to be the “first electoral management body in the world to implement a digital decongestion protocol based on a bio screening standard for electoral purposes”.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the voter registration exercise.

Although the commission has fixed September 19, 2020, and October 10, 2020, for governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, respectively, only those who already have their permanent voter cards (PVCs) are eligible to vote.

Ghana has recorded a total of 33,624 COVID-19 cases with 168 deaths, while Nigeria has 41,804 cases with 868 fatalities.

Ghanaians will go to the polls in December 2020 to elect a new president and members of parliament.