EC raises concern over NDC's planned use of drones in 2024 elections

Ghanaian

The Electoral Commission (EC) has voiced its apprehension regarding the leaked strategy of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Greater Accra region to employ drones during the upcoming general election.

The EC emphasized that such an action would violate voters' electoral privacy and breach security protocols, and as such, it will not be permitted.

This response

Read full articlefrom the EC comes in the wake of comments made by the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, who clarified that the deployment of drones is aimed at securing two million votes for the party in the upcoming elections.

Moore stated that this move is part of efforts to strengthen the NDC's monitoring systems to prevent potential rigging, with preparations already underway to train constituency executives on how to use the drones to monitor ground activities.

However, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, in an interview with Joynews, revealed that the commission has not received official notification from the NDC regarding the deployment of drones.

Dr. Quaicoe explained that allowing such actions would contravene security protocols and compromise voters' privacy.

“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.

"But my point is that how comfortable will you feel that you are going to vote at the polling station and there's a drone hovering around you? How sure are you with respect to the secrecy of the ballot.”

He emphasized the importance of maintaining the secrecy of the ballot and expressed doubt over the approval of drone use at polling stations, given the sensitive nature of the electoral process.

“The fact remains that polling stations are security zones. We want to ensure the secrecy of the ballot. So at the polling station where I am going to make my choice, I want to vote in that secrecy.”