A part of its plans to safeguard the lives of voters and ensure a seamless polling process in its forthcoming elections, Ghana has introduced a technological platform that will allow voters book registration appointments online or through USSD platforms, in a bid to manage crowds and reduce the spread of coronavirus in the West African state.

The country’s elections umpire, the Electoral Commission Ghana, made this known in a statement released to the public on its website. It stated that the new approach would help decongest registration centres for both election officials and citizens alike.

“Compiling voters register to ensure credible elections while at the same time working to keep people safe from the Covid-19 pandemic are both vital objectives that can be effectively balanced using innovative systems. The Electoral Commission is, therefore, introducing an additional technology tool for the ongoing election exercise,” the statement read.

The technology in question is the PanaBIOS platform, a digital application developed as part of the African Union’s plan to safely reopen borders in Africa. It will also be used for disease contagion monitoring, spatial risk factors analytics, mass testing among others.

According to the statement, Ghana will officially become the first African country to deploy the AU’s initiative in elections, using the Trancop Initiative starting at the end of July 2020 in Anyawaso West, Tema Metro. La Dadekotopon and Ga North.

African Elections and COVID-19

This announcement comes as African countries have been forced to adjust their plans and practices following the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Several countries like Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, and Sudan have all postponed their elections due to the threat of COVID-19. Burundi, which held its elections in May 2020, witnessed a rise in cases from just 15 before the elections to 63 confirmed cases at the end of May.