Ahead of Ghana’s general elections in December, Vodafone Ghana Foundation has partnered Human Network International (HNI) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to equip Ghanaians with free and accurate information on the electoral process and voter education.
The service is being delivered through the Vodafone 3-2-1 platform – the first free on-demand information service in Ghana.
The latest addition to the 3-2-1 service menu, which is under the ‘elections’ tab, contains detailed information on voter registration, exhibition, campaigning, Election Day as well as electoral malpractices.
The free on demand service, is programmed in various languages including English, Ewe, Ga, Hausa, Dagbani and Twi, and customers can access these by simply dialling 3-2-1 on their mobile phones. Additionally, customers can also dial the short code - *321# - to assess the written content.
The election content was developed in partnership with YES Ghana and was reviewed by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
Commenting, Ebenezer Amankwah, Corporate Relations Manager at Vodafone Ghana said:
“One of the greatest contributions a telecommunications company can bring to subscribers is the ability to empower them to get relevant and up to date information using fewer resources. The elections tab is therefore our way of championing civic education on the upcoming general elections for the good of society.â€
The 3-2-1 service also provides news, weather forecasts, maternal and sexual reproductive health, family planning, water and sanitation for subscribers.
Kris H. Ozar, Country Representative for Catholic Relief Services in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire said:
''The youth are often used to disrupt electoral processes in many developing countries and Ghana is no exception. This service will hopefully contribute in curbing this phenomenon and create an enabling environment across the country. We at CRS believe that our involvement will serve to ensure peaceful elections in 2016.’’
Sarah Rogers, the HNI Ghana Programme Manager also expressed excitement about the benefit the partnership will bring to Ghana:
"At HNI we believe that everyone should have access to information, including the most rural Ghanaians with limited literacy. We are very excited to expand the 3-2-1 Service with information on the upcoming elections, allowing Ghanaians to have a better understanding of the electoral process and to be more informed as participants."
The technology behind the 3-2-1 Service is developed by VOTO Mobile, a Ghana-based tech start-up and beneficiary of Vodafone Ghana Foundation’s Mobile for Good Initiative.
DKT International, Marie Stopes International, Grameen Foundation, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Ghana News Agency, Ghana Health Service, and GSMA, UNICEF, and Earth Networks are the main contributors to this service.