Accra, Ghana, December 5, 2020//-The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), an independent and non-partisan organisation made up of civil society groups, faith-based organizations and professional organisations, today urged all registered voters to actively participate in the 7th December elections by going out in their number to vote.
The Acting CODEO Chair, Sheik Armyawo Shaibu made the call when he addressed journalists in Accra at the eve of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Flanked by board members and executive of the CODEO, he also urged voters to comport themselves during the polling process by following the laid down rules and procedures, including social distancing and other COVID-19 safety protocols.
“We further require all Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be used for any violent acts during this period and beyond. CODEO implores the security forces deployed for election duties to keep to their professionalism by focusing on the security of the ballot process, voters, independent observers, and indeed all Ghanaians and to undertake these crucial duties in a lawful and non-partisan manner”, Sheik Shaibu told the journalists.
Appeals
Sheik Shaibu also appealed to all contesting political leaders and their supporters to do all in their power to help maintain the peace in our country.
“To the Electoral Commission (EC), its temporary polling officials, returning and presiding officers to be firm and apply the electoral rules in an impartial and objective manner”.
To agents of political parties, he appealed to them to respect the electoral laws and behave responsibly on polling day by assisting the EC officials to execute their duties effectively and efficiently.
“To the Election Security Task Force to approach their duties on polling day with maximum professionalism, fairness and utmost respect for the Constitution of Ghana, while the media to be professional and circumspect in its coverage and reportage of the elections”.
Whilst appealing to voters to dutifully abide by the COVID-19 health safety protocols as announced by the EC, it is critical for us to remind ourselves of the risks posed by the COVID-19 and to ensure adherence to all relevant health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus as we go out there to vote.
CODEO Election Day Observation Deployment
Sheikh Shaibu announced that CODEO would deploy close to 4,400 observers throughout the country on polling day, tomorrow, December 7, 2020 as polling Station Stationary Observation; and CODEO Rapid Response Observers.
Out of the figure 4,400, a total number of 4000 observers would be deployed as Rapid Response Observers
(RROs) to a representative sample of polling stations located in all the 275 constituencies across
the 16 regions of the country.
Out of this number, 1502 are deployed as Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) Observers, according to him.
In addition to CODEO stationary observers, CODEO would deploy its Regional Coordinators, Constituency Supervisors (CS), its General Assembly and Board Members as Roaming/Mobile Observers (ROs) in all the 16 regions.
He was quick to add that CODEO will deploy its observers to all the 275 Constituency Collation Centers and the National Results Collation Center (NRCC) in Accra to observe and report on results collation, tabulation,
and declaration.
CODEO’s Deployment Plan
CODEO’s deployment and observation plan makes it possible for CODEO’s presence across the entire country. Applying statistical principles of stratified random sampling procedure to select polling stations where CODEO’s RROs will be stationed makes it possible for CODEO’s visibility to be felt in every region and constituency, including the remotest and difficult to-reach- parts of Ghana, generally referred to as ‘overseas.’
Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT)
As already stated, CODEO, in addition to traditional observation, will employ the PVT methodology to enable it provide the most comprehensive and accurate account of the set-up of polling stations, voting and counting process. The PVT is a proven methodology used by independent, non-partisan citizen observers to assess the quality of the election process across the country.
As an advanced observation methodology that builds on the traditional election observation method, and using time-tested statistical principles, the methodology will enable CODEO to independently verify the accuracy of the vote tabulation process and the official presidential results declared by the EC.
It is the hope of CODEO that by implementing the PVT, the confidence of citizens, voters, and presidential candidates will be boosted in the electoral process and outcomes, and that voters will be assured that their vote will be counted and properly tabulated.
African Eye Report
