Voting begins in Ghana’s presidential election

Voting to elect the next President of Ghana commenced on Saturday across the country.

Voters will select both the president and members of parliament who will steer the affairs of the country for the next four years.

Local media reported that the country’s electoral commission had earlier expressed confidence in the process, citing the high participation during a recent special voting exercise as a positive sign.

According to News Central, over 18 million (18,774,159) registered voters are expected to cast their ballots across the 276 constituencies to choose their parliamentary representatives.

Thirteen presidential candidates appear on the ballot, though only 12 are eligible for votes.

Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party, who passed away recently, remains listed, but any votes cast for her will be invalid.

The Ghana-based news medium recalled that the election has not been without controversy.

Former President John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, has reportedly alleged collusion between the Electoral Commission and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to manipulate the results.

Similarly, independent candidate Nana Kwame Bediako has accused the Commission of deliberately obstructing his campaign by withholding accreditation for his agents.

The two major parties, NDC and NPP, are focusing on securing strong support in their traditional strongholds.

The NPP, dominant in the Ashanti Region, faces potential challenges with former member Alan John Kyerematen running as an independent candidate, possibly splitting their votes.

Meanwhile, the NDC, which commands support in the Volta Region, must contend with growing NPP activities in the area that have drawn significant crowds.

The outcome in Greater Accra, regarded as a swing region, alongside results from the other 14 regions, will play a key role in determining the winners.

Polls are open from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, with provisions made for those still in queues at closing time. Only registered Ghanaian citizens are permitted to vote, News Central reported.