Delays and uncertainties hit district level elections in Ashanti Region

Delays in the arrival of electoral materials and uncertainties as to whether the elections will take place in some polling centres, characterized the start of the voting process in the district level elections across the Ashanti region.

Many polling centres experienced delays in the start of the elections for more than two hours due to the late arrival of electoral materials.

Voters in some other polling centres were also uncertain as to whether they will vote or not since there were no signs of elections in their polling centres.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency in some polling centres such as the Zion school at Asafo in the Subin constituency as at 8am, indicated no signs or availability of electoral officials as well as materials for the elections.

The electorate who had then formed a long queue started dispersing since there was no one to explain what was happening.

The situation was the same at some polling centres in Atwima Manhyia in the Atwima-Nwabiagya South Municipality.

However, voting have been going on smoothly in all centres, which had started the process as 0900 hours, when the GNA visited.

At the Asokore-Mampong old palace 1&2 polling centres, initial problem with the biometric machines were resolved for voting to continue.

Four candidates are contesting for the assembly member positions while eight are vying for the Unit Committee slot.

At Aboabo Number two polling station, nine (9) out of the 510 registered voters had cast their votes as at 9:15 am when GNA visited.

At the Faith International School polling centre at Old Tafo, 54 out of the 593 registered voters had cast their votes as at 0915 hours.

Meanwhile, voters at Ayeduase polling station in the Oforikrom Municipality were very agitated due to the delay in the arrival of electoral material as at 0930 hours when GNA visited the centre.

Two candidates, Mr Justice Atobrah 49 and a mechanic and Mr Augustine Nana Sarfo, a 37-year-old tutor are contesting the elections.

Ashanti region has a total of 1,081 electoral areas with 3,919 candidates contesting in the district level elections.

Three Thousand, seven hundred and seven (3,707) constituting 94.6 percent are men, while 211, constituting 5.4 percent are women.

GNA