Search engine giant Google has unveiled a new portal that will educate and highlight news on Ghana’s politics, ahead of the country’s December general elections.
Ghana Election Hub becomes the home for information on leading candidates and the issues they will tackle should they take office. Users can also watch campaign clips from YouTube from their favorite candidates.
The integrated Internet search engine giant also educated journalists and politicians alike on how to use online tools during the election period.
“During the election campaign period, the Internet is increasingly playing a role in how Ghanaian citizens’ search for information about elections, and in how politicians seek to engage with voters,” Ory Okolloh, Google Policy and Government Relations Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, stated.
It is with the view that Ghana is one of the few countries with a stable political base that Google decided to enter into this project, with elections usually deemed violent in Africa.
Google noted that, during campaigns, Ghanaians have a hunger for information on the candidates and other programs surrounding the elections.
“To meet this growing demand for information online around the elections, we embarked on several activities,” Okolloh added.
Google has partnered with other players including Citi FM by holding Google+ Hangouts with leading candidates and civil society groups. Google has also partnered with the Google Student Ambassadors in Ghana with a local group, Ghana Decide.
The company’s focus is to make election related information accessible and drive citizen engagement.
Similar initiatives have been made by the company in Nigeria and in Senegal.
The Ghana elections are scheduled for December 7, 2012.
