Voters register: EC, NIA exercise ‘risky’ – Former GHS boss

Dr Elias Sory, former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service has described plans by the National Identification Authority to continue with card registration and collection exercise as well as the upcoming voter’s registration exercise in the wake of COVID-19 as a ‘risky business’.

According to him, if the two state agencies in charge of both exercises cannot assure that participants will adhere to Covid-19 safety protocols, then they should not carry on.

Dr Sory said even though he cannot say that carrying on with the exercises was good or bad if Ghanaians continue to disregard safety protocols, the exercise will be dangerous to human lives.

Speaking on the Morning Starr with Francis Abban Monday, he said “the people who are in the queue and wearing masks are even safer than the people you are walking about and interacting with who are not wearing masks. when you know that there is a problem, you can act.”

He went on “but I’m not saying that it is bad or good, but for me, if they can make sure that every person is adhering to the protocols that the EC will outline, but if we cannot assure that, please don’t go on.”

“Such places, if we make sure that security people are there and making sure that they are in line with social distancing, wearing your masks, and making sure that equipment and the areas are always cleaned, I think there wouldn’t be any problem,” he added.

Dr Sory stressed, “but it is a very risky business and if we are having this kind of attitude we have now, disregarding important messages on protocols, it will be dangerous.”