By Anthony AdongoApubeo
Bawku (U/E), Dec 7, GNA-Polls are progressing steadily across all the polling stations in the Bawku Central Constituency in the Upper East Region.
Despite the recent volatile situation in the area due to the protracted chieftaincy conflict, voting is progressing smoothly and peacefully.
However, the various voting centres have been equipped with security officers led by Ghana Police Service and supported by other security personnel.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA), observed that, the military personnel were stationed about 50 metres away from the polling stations and in some places, the military were not there.
When the GNA visited some of the polling stations, voting had begun and progressing.
Voting at few of the polling stations started a bit late, not exactly the 0700 hours as scheduled due to the curfew imposed in the area which did not allow election materials to reach the stations early.
At the Bawku Old Court polling station, as at 0730 hours when the GNA visited the area, 10 people out of the 345 expected voters had already cast their votes.
At about 0815 hours when the GNA visited the Methodist Primary A in Bawku, voting had not commenced with voters expressing frustration over the delay.
No election official was around, however the GNA gathered that the inmates at the Bawku prisons share the polling station with the people and officials had taken the election materials into the prison yard for the inmates to vote first.
Voting, however, commenced at the area when the Election Officials returned to the polling station at about 0840 hours.
Mr DasmaniAyumah, the Presiding Officer for the Methodist Primary A polling station noted that they had mounted their materials for elections to begin, however, they were asked to let the prison inmates to cast their vote first at the prison yard.
“Including the prison inmates, more than 20 people have cast their ballots so far and the process had been smooth”, he said.
A total of 512 voters are expected to vote.
At the Bawku Vocational Technical Institute, there was no long queue and voting was moving smoothly.
As at 0900 hours, 33 out of 355 registered voters had cast their votes.
Mr Dan Hassan, Deputy Returning Officer, Bawku Municipal Directorate of the Electoral Commission, said although there were security concerns, he was hopeful the process would be peaceful.
A total of 63,632 registered are expected to vote across 149 polling stations in the Bawku Central Constituency.
The Electoral Commission is expecting a higher turn out in the area despite the security situation.
In the Parliamentary elections, the incumbent Member of Parliament and candidate of the National Democratic Congress is seeking re-election.
However, he faces stiff competition from Mr Paul AlaleAgobiri, a teacher and parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party and Mr Emmanuel Anaba, Medical Laboratory Assistant and candidate for the All People’s Congress.
GNA