The Electoral Commission has voiced apprehensions regarding the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) intentions to utilize drones for election purposes.

The Electoral Commission emphasized that such actions would violate voters’ electoral privacy and breach established security protocols, and therefore, they will not be permitted.

This statement from the EC comes after comments made by Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, who clarified that the planned deployment of drones is part of the party’s strategy to secure two million votes in the upcoming elections.

Mr. Moore highlighted that the primary goal is to enhance the NDC’s monitoring capabilities to deter potential electoral malpractices, mentioning that preparations are underway to train constituency executives on the use of drones for monitoring ground activities.

However, in an interview with JoyNews, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, stated that the Commission has not received formal notification from the NDC regarding their intentions to deploy drones.

Dr. Quaicoe emphasized that allowing such actions would violate security protocols and compromise 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 expressed concerns about the potential impact on voters’ trust in the secrecy of their ballot if drones were flying around polling stations, emphasizing the utmost importance of preserving the integrity of the voting process.

Dr. Quaicoe reiterated the EC’s dedication to upholding the sanctity of polling stations as safe environments for voters to freely exercise their democratic rights.

source:: GRAPHIC ONLINE