Political parties urged to publish coronavirus campaign guidelines

Strategic African Network (STRANEK Africa) has urged political parties to publish their COVID-19 campaign guidelines.

The civil society organisation said in a statement that in as much as this year is an important year for Ghanaians to decide which political party deserves the mandate to steer affairs of this country, it is important to keep in mind the

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“We must be reminded that the pandemic COVID-19 has not left us entirely and has caused countries like United Kingdom, India, Czech Republic, France, Spain and the likes to go back to a partial lockdown," STRANEK said in the statement.

There has been vigorous crusade by various stakeholders in Ghana asking people to observe the COVID-19 protocols (wearing nose mask, observing social distancing, regular washing of hands among others) to mitigate the spread of the virus.

However, per observations from the time campaign started, some political actors and their sympathisers or members of the parties mass up across the country to follow these actors in defiance of the COVID-19 protocols.

Even though all the political parties are striving hard to catch the attention of partisans, STRANEK-Africa has called on them to publish their COVID-19 campaign guidelines in order not to have the spread of the virus in the heat of their campaign.

“We suggest the COVID-19 campaign guidelines should contain how we can avoid or reduce the risk of crowding during their activities. Building entry and exit protocol to avoid large number of people in closed spaces. Campaign billboards, posters, banners should include measures of COVID-19. During door to door campaign, the various structures in the parties - constituencies, polling stations and electoral areas executives must not involve more than five people in a campaign group. The political parties must also do more of virtual campaign. The message spread should involve how we can get rid of this pandemic,” the group said.