By Team GNA
Wa, (UW/R), Dec. 07, GNA – Voting process in the Election 2024 started smoothly at the University for Development (UDS) Old Administration Polling Stations “A” and “B” in the Wa Central Constituency on Saturday with no long queues witnessed.
At about 05: hours when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) got to the Polling Station “A,” two voters were already there waiting to cast their ballot at the start of polls at 0700 hours.
Electoral materials arrived at the two polling stations at about 05:26 hours, while the first voter cast his ballot at the Polling Station “A” at 07: 20 hours.
Six people had voted at that polling station as at 07: 34 hours out of a voter population of 557.
The GNA observed that sorting of the ballot booklets delayed the voting process by about 20 minutes.
Ms Ernestina Fuseini, the Presiding Officer at that polling station told the GNA that they had a challenge with one of the voting screens and had to change it, which also contributed to delaying the start of the voting.
At the Polling station “B”, Mr David Kala, the Presiding Officer, confirmed to the media that voting started at about 07:02 hours and as at 07:38 hours when the GNA arrived at that polling station, 13 out of the total voter population of 373 had already cast their ballot.
The environment at the two centres was calm with the presence of security personnel from the Ghana Police Service at post to maintain peace throughout the process.
Four candidates are contesting in the parliamentary elections in the Wa Central Constituency.
They are Dr Hassan Rashid Pelpuo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Hajia Humu Awudu, New Patriotic Party (NPP); Mr Yakubu Zakaria, People’s National Convention (PNC); and Mr Rashid Saeed, an Independent candidate.
Mr Roger Nifaaryaga reports from the Nandom constituency that voting started at the Local Court and Nayiri polling stations at about 07:48 hour and 07:44 hours respectively.
He said the voting was delayed in the two polling stations because the serial numbers of three ballot booklets did not tally, but voting started after the Nandom Municipal office of the Electoral Commission intervened to resolve the challenge.
Some voters at the two polling stations expressed worry about the delay of the start of voting.
Mr Adams Bening Suraj also reports from the Funsi in the Wa East Constituency that election materials arrived at the Funsi North Polling station at about 06:20 hours but voting started at about 07:15 hours.
GNA