The Electoral Commission (EC) yesterday conducted a pilot voters’ registration exercise at the Accra Ridge Church to test its Biometric Verification Systems for the upcoming December polls.

The pilot was to ascertain the durability of the equipment towards a successful registration exercise scheduled for June 30.

 The equipment as observed by the Ghanaian Times were in good condition during the duration of the exercise which commenced from 8:30am till 4pm when the Ghanaian Times team left the premises.

The prospective voters spent about five minutes to go through the electoral processes  at either of the two registration centres mounted at  the premises, with a maximum of 20 voters observing COVID-19 precautionary measures and hygienic protocols.

Also on each registration desk, there were sanitisers to be used by both voters and registration officers seen in nose masks as well as the voters, while Veronica buckets were positioned at various points of entry to the premises.

Speaking to the Ghanaian Times, the Public Relations Officer of the Commission, Sylvia Annoh said the exercise was smooth and  was to ensure the commission  identified any  challenges  that might  occur during the  actual  registration  and  find  ways of  addressing them before and during the exercise.

She explained that the registration officers did not encounter any challenges during the processes or the equipment breaking down, saying, “We are adhering to the protocols to ensure no one got infected with the virus.”

Mrs Annoh assured the electorate of a safe exercise  which commences on June 30, adding that “at  each stage of  registration,  the  lives of the citizenry will be protected”.

Some representatives of political parties present at the centre lauded the commission for the measures put in place to protect the citizenry from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Source: Ghanaian Times