To foster and boost engagement in electoral governance, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has collaborated with the Electoral Commission and various stakeholders to introduce an easily accessible electoral information system.
Termed the ‘Electoral Dashboard,’ this online platform aims to deliver prompt, dependable, and current information related to elections.
Developed by professors from KNUST’s Faculty of Social Sciences, the platform is their contribution to fostering inclusivity and transparency in the electoral process within the country.
Professor Gift Dumedah, the Lead Researcher for the Electoral Dashboard, expressed the belief that providing information to the Ghanaian public would stimulate participation in the electoral process, ultimately enhancing transparency and the legitimacy of elections.
The Electoral Commission anticipates that this platform will simplify and bring transparency to their work.
Benjamin Bannor-Bio, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, emphasized the significance of information, transparency, and fairness in elections.
He sees the online platform as a one-stop-shop for all election-related information, contributing to increased transparency and public confidence in the electoral system.
“We felt that by giving information to the Ghanaian public, will stimulate our participation in electoral process. This in return will provide transparency and enhance the legitimacy of our elections. The online electoral dashboard that we’ve provided is to help with that conversation”, Lead Researcher for the Electoral Dashboard, Professor Gift Dumedah said.
“This innovation is going to enhance the work of the Electoral Commission. Elections is about information, transparency, and fairness. Being a one-stop-shop for all information regarding elections, the online platform is going to make our work more transparent. This will enable us to build the needed confidence in our electoral system. The academia has now come in to support our electoral system and this is a plus to all of us. We as a Commission will support it to ensure that our electoral activities and processes are made open and transparent to the general public, so that when results are declared everybody will accept it as the true reflection of the desire of those who voted”, Ashanti Regional Director of Electoral Commission, Benjamin Bannor-Bio observed.
The National Peace Council welcomes the academic community’s involvement in contributing to the electoral process.
The Electoral Dashboard will be continuously updated with verified information from the Electoral Commission, the media, and other independent bodies, ensuring easy public access to all election-related information and updates on election day.