Compilation of a new voter register in Ghana amid fears of Covid-19 spike

There is growing fear of a possible spike in confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ghana as the country’s Electoral Commission (EC) embarks on the compilation of a new voter register.
The country which has one of the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the West African Sub-Region goes into yet another crunch election which promises to be one of the fiercest contests since the country returned to constitutional rule in 1992, in less than five months.

Opposition leader, John Dramani Mahama, who lost the 2016 election as sitting President to the incumbent, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo is staging a comeback on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in what appears to be a renewal of an old rivalry which began in 2012.
Compilation of a new register ahead of the polls has generated a lot of controversies over the last six months in the West African country which is touted as the beacon of democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The announcement by the EC to compile the register was vehemently opposed by the NDC and 18 civil society organization (CSOs), leaving the county sharply polarized as the government also backed the EC for a new register. The EC argued that the current register contains names of foreigners and “not fit for purpose” – a claim the opposition rejected and made a strong case for the register to be maintained but to no avail.
It took Ghana’s Supreme Court to settle the matter after the NDC sought the intervention of the apex court to block the EC from embarking on the registration exercise.
The court however ruled in favour of the EC and gave the electoral management body the green light to proceed with the exercise.
Consequently, potential voters are currently being registered in this COVID-19 era where Ghana’s case count is increasing by the day. Confirmed cases in the country are in excess of 20,000 with 122 mortalities recorded so far.
The NDC apart from taking the case to court had also contended that the registration could be a fertile ground to further spread the virus and cautioned the EC and government to desist from endangering the lives of Ghanaians in the name of a needless register.

It was the case of the largest opposition party and other vibrant CSOs that the voter registration could be counter- productive to the fight against the deadly disease considering the fact that there would be mass gathering of people at registration centres.
Many other stakeholders including the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) shared the position of the NDC and cautioned the EC that the exercise could fuel the spread of the disease. ​

But with the approval of the Supreme Court and government, the EC commenced the registration which saw widespread violation of the COVID-19 safety protocols at registration centres across the country on the first day the exercise.

Registrants virtually crowded at registration centres without observing physical distancing despite assurances by the EC to ensure strict compliance of the COVID-19 precautionary protocols at the centres.
The situation has sparked fears of a possible surge in COVID-19 cases by the end of the six weeks exercise if the recklessness continues.

Already, three leading members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), have tested positive for COVID-19 less than two weeks after the party held its primaries to elect parliamentary candidates for the December election.
Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who was the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana’s Forestry Commission, has since died. The other two, Mr. Peter McManu, Chairman of the NPP’s 2020 election campaign team and Mr. Carlos Ahenkora, a Deputy Trade Minister have also been discharged from hospital and recovering from their homes.

Shortly after reopening of schools for final year students, the Ghana Education Service (GHS) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in a joint statement on Monday confirmed that they have received reports of suspected cases of COVID-19 from some second cycle institutions. A teacher at the Accra Girls’ Senior High School and the spouse, together with six students have tested positive.

The president himself who was seen on Thursday visiting some registration centres has elected to go into isolation upon his doctor’s advice, according to a statement issued by the Information Ministry on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, over 200 health workers, including 99 doctors have petitioned the EC to health the registration just one week into the exercise over safety concerns.

But whether the EC would heed to the request of the health professionals in the interest of public health remains a huge question begging for answers.