A former Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, has identified collation centres as the most vulnerable point for election manipulation in the electoral process.
He attributes this vulnerability to the heavy reliance on manual systems in the tabulation of election results.
Throughout Ghana’s history, elections have often been accompanied by controversies, including allegations of malpractices during result collation. The 2020 general election witnessed disturbances and loss of lives in Techiman South due to collation challenges.
Concerns were also raised regarding the activities in various collation rooms established for the tabulation of presidential election results.
Speaking at a forum commemorating the 60th anniversary of the political science department at the University of Ghana, Dr. Afari-Gyan advocated for the inclusion of technology in the collation process instead of creating multiple layers of centres.
He emphasized the need to ensure that the chosen technology aligns with the specific requirements and environment of the electoral system.
Dr. Afari-Gyan advised taking measured steps in adopting technology, consolidating each step before progressing to the next.
Furthermore, he added that if technology is to be utilized by voters, it should be user-friendly and straightforward while stressing the importance of thoroughly testing the technology in the local context before its implementation.
