ISODEC launches election monitoring portal

The Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has launched the “Maaro-Noyine Elections Monitoring Portal” to help citizens to report and capture possible electoral violence and other irregularities.

The portal, which can receive both image and audio reports, is to help election managers and peace ambassadors as well as security agencies to have quick information on such issues for a swift response.

The electoral violence prevention monitoring system formed part of “Youth Vigilant for Peaceful Elections and Development (Y-VPED) project, being implemented by a consortium of NGOs, including; ISODEC, TAMA Foundation and Centre for Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies (CECOTAPS).

The project, being implemented in the five Northern regions, with support from the STAR Ghana Foundation, sought to promote peace and development in its operational areas.

Mr Tay Awoosah, Executive Director of ISODEC, said at the launch of the portal that the system was developed to help individuals who had access to the internet connection to report on possible electoral violence and other anomalies for a quick resolution.

He said the portal would be linked to key stakeholders such as the Electoral Commission, Police, National Commission for Civic Education, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, among others.

“The portal’s interface has been designed in such a way that anyone at all with internet connectivity can turn in a report they come across during this time of election activities and the idea is to help relevant institutions to resolve possible misunderstandings as quickly as possible,” he noted.

Mr Awoosah encouraged members of the public to regularly use the “Maaro-Noyine Elections Monitoring Portal” to help prevent violence before, during and after the 2020 general elections.

He appealed to electorates to tolerate each others’ views as the country was heading towards the polls on December 7 to ensure the country remained peaceful.