Electoral Commission raises concerns over NDC's drone deployment plans for elections
The Electoral Commission (EC) has raised concerns over reports suggesting that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Greater Accra region plans to employ drones during the forthcoming general election.
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The EC underscored that such actions would violate voters' electoral privacy and breach established security protocols, and as such, they will not be permitted.
This response from the EC follows remarks made by the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore who clarified that the intended deployment of drones is part of the party's strategy to secure two million votes in the upcoming elections.
Mr. Moore asserted that the primary objective is to enhance the NDC's monitoring capabilities to deter potential electoral malpractices, noting that preparations are underway to train constituency executives on the utilization of drones for monitoring ground activities.
However, in an interview with JoyNews, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe stated that the Commission has not received formal notification from the NDC regarding their intentions to deploy drones.
Dr. Quaicoe stressed that permitting such actions would contravene security protocols and jeopardize the confidentiality of the voting process.
“Polling stations are security zones, so they will have to apply to the security people for permission to be granted. They will have to apply to the Electoral Commission for permission to be granted,” Dr. Quaicoe remarked.
He raised concerns about the potential impact on voters' confidence in the secrecy of their ballot if drones were hovering around polling stations, highlighting the paramount importance of safeguarding the integrity of the voting process.
Dr. Quaicoe reiterated the EC's commitment to maintaining the sanctity of polling stations as secure environments for voters to freely exercise their democratic rights.
