Election 2020: Strict coronavirus protocols will be observed - EC

The Electoral Commission (EC) in adherence to the World Health Organisation and Ghana Health Service preventive measures has designed “Strict Election Day COVID-19 Protocols Observation,” guidelines for all who enter the Polling Station.

Mr Kwame Amoah, EC Greater Accra Regional Director told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra on Monday that the EC had put in place COVID-19 pandemic safety measures and called on all to strictly follow the due process at the Polling Stations to protect each other from contracting the disease.

He said all persons entering any polling station or queuing must strictly wear face mask; “Thermometer gun will be used to check the temperature of prospective voters and anyone whose temperature is detected to be high above 37.8 Degree Celsius will be directed to available health personnel at the polling station or nearest public health facility”.

Mr Amoah who was speaking to the GNA on the EC Election 2020 Guide to Voter manual explained that veronica bucket with liquid soap, paper tissue and other receptacles for people to wash their hands before joining the queue would be provided at strategic locations.

He said the Presiding Officer and the security will ensure that minimum distance of one meter between applicants in the queue are observed strictly at the polling station; “we need the public cooperation and preparedness to follow due process”.

The EC Director said the finger print scanners would be frequently cleaned before and after capturing finger print of voters with either alcohol-based wipes, disinfectant wipes or ammonia-based glass cleaner wipes.

Mr Amoah assured the voters, that the commission would provide hand sanitizers for applicants to sanitize their hands when leaving the polling station.

He said, “the EC has put in place measures to ensure that no one is endangered at the Polling Station, we must all work together for our safety, let us protect each other, COVID-19 is still around, so let is adhere to the safety protocols”.