The 2020 general election is underway in all 36,622 polling stations nationwide.
Over 17 million Ghanaians are expected to cast their ballots for their preferred presidential and parliamentary candidates across the country.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo voted in Kyebi at the Rock of Ages polling centre in the Abuakwa South Constituency, while his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, cast his vote in his home constituency of Walewale in the North East region.
The National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, voted in the Bole constituency of the Savannah Region. His running mate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, went to the Komenda JHS polling station in the Central region to cast her vote.
Meanwhile, the relatively smooth electoral process has seen pockets of disturbances at some polling stations in the country.
At the City Engineers polling station in the Odododiodoo Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, some voters who had formed a long queue in front of the main entrance to the centre forced themselves into the polling station.
Security officers and electoral officers struggled to control the crowd.
Another incident occurred at the Steps to Christ polling station in Kasoa, where two persons sustained wounds after a group of individuals in a black SUV fired gunshots at them.
Citi News’ Calvis Tetteh reported that the two victims, who are believed to be NDC members, were shot by persons suspected to be members of the NPP.
In July 2020, during the voter registration exercise, an incident involving a firearm occurred at the same polling centre. In that instance, the incumbent MP for Awutu Senya East, Hawa Koomson, allegedly used a gun to fire warning shots in the air. She claimed she fired those shots in self defense after she felt threatened by the presence of some unknown persons riding motorbikes in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, a young man in his early twenties has been arrested by a Police Officer at Shama DA Forecourt B polling station in the Western Region for allegedly taking pictures of his ballot paper. The EC has cautioned voters to desist from doing this to protect the secrecy of individual ballots.
The suspect is currently at the Shama Police station undergoing questioning.
This is Ghana’s eighth general election in the Fourth Republic and the third contest between President Nana Akufo-Addo and John Dramani Mahama, who served as Ghana’s president from 2012 to 2016.