By Godfred A. Polkuu
Sandema (U/E), Dec. 7, GNA-The Ghana News Agency (GNA) has observed that only the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have polling agents stationed across the 81 polling stations in the Builsa North Constituency of the Upper East Region.
When the GNA visited polling stations across the Constituency, the rest of the political parties namely; the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the All People’s Congress (APC), Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) had no agents at the centres.
Independent Presidential Candidates including Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, Mr George Twum-Barima-Adu, Nana Kwame Bediako, and Mr Kofi Koranteng were equally not represented in the Constituency.
Agents of the NDC and NPP who spoke to the GNA at some of the polling stations noted that the elections were generally calm and peaceful.
At the Ayeta Junior High School (JHS) for instance, the two party agents, Mr William Anavarindem of the NDC and Mr Thomas Adams of the NPP, said they were hopeful the process would continue peacefully to the end.
Mr Frederick Abuube, the Electoral Officer, said voting started at 0700hours and that 708 electorates were expected to cast their ballots, “So far, we do not have any challenges yet, everything is going on well,” he added.
He disclosed that 41 electorates had voted as at 0831hours, when the GNA visited, noting that “We have no challenges. The devices are functioning well.”
Asked if Persons with Disability, especially the visually impaired had voted, the EC official said one visual impaired woman accompanied by her son came and said she trusted her son to assist her vote.
“We allowed her son to assist her to vote. She was not trained on how to use the tactile jacket, so once she trusted her son, we allowed the son to assist her,” Mr Abuube said.
At the Wiaga Market Square polling station, both NDC and NPP agents raised concerns with verification devices and the limited polling space.
Dr Eva Akanchalabey, a polling agent for the NDC, said there was an agreement between the owner of “The Lord is my provider” drinking spot and the Electoral Commission (EC) for the spot to be closed within the voting hours, but when the EC cordoned the area and voting commenced, the owner later decided to open the spot.
That, she said delayed the process, as the EC officials had to pause the process and re-cordoned the area, “It delayed the process. They had to rearrange the polling station for smooth voting to continue.”
Mr Sampson Mahama, the NPP’s agent, who corroborated the story, added that the verification machines at a point started malfunctioning and the EC officials had to resort to facial verification, and that also delayed the process.
“Apart from these major issues, everything is fine for us for now,” the agent said.
Mr Magnus Atumba, a Roman Catholic Seminarian on Pastoral Year, who was waiting in queue to cast his ballot, observed that the process was smooth, and reiterated calls for peace and adherence to the electoral rules devoid of any disturbances.
GNA