Election 2020: Ghanaians vote for new president today
The election will be keenly fought between incumbent President, Akufo-Addo of the NPP, and his main contender, John Mahama of the NDC
A total of 17,027,641 Ghanaians head to the polls today (7 December) to elect a new president and parliamentarians to steer the affairs of the nation for the next four years.
Eleven parties namely the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), All people’s Congress (APC ), Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP), Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), including an Independent Candidate, Asiedu Walker, are contesting the elections.
However, the presidential race is a straight contest between incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his main contender, John Mahama, of the opposition NDC.
This is the third time the two will be contesting for the Office of the President after a similar contest in 2012 and 2016. In 2012, Mahama won the election in a keenly contested race. The NPP, however, contested the results at the Supreme Court, but lost the legal tussle.
In 2016, however, power changed hands after Akufo-Addo humiliated sitting president Mahama with nearly a million votes.
Today’s election will be contested keenly based on the track record of the current NPP government and the four-year term in office of candidate Mahama from 2012 to 2016.
Calls for peace
The two main contenders on Friday signed a peace pact for the third time to accept the outcome of the results.
“I have said that we believe in elections, and I am happy to give my word that we shall accept the verdict of the people of Ghana. Above all, I pledge that the peace, unity and safety of Ghana will be our primary consideration,” Akufo-Addo at the ceremony.
For his part, Mahama noted: “As we end our campaigns and prepare to vote on Monday, I pledge to ensure peace and preserve the stability of our dear nation, Ghana. Elections are about counting heads and not cutting heads.”
Ahead of the election all the parties including the NDC and NPP have called on their supporters to turn out and vote in their numbers.
“In the wake of the pandemic, let us all adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols put in place at all the thirty-eighty thousand, six hundred and twenty-two (38,622) polling stations, so we can cast our ballots in safety. We should, therefore, not panic or be afraid,” Akufo-Addo said in a televised address on the eve of voting.
EC preparedness
Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, has offered assurance that the Commission is adequately prepared to execute a successful election.
It says every material and logistics have already been deployed for the national exercise.
“To date our officers have been recruited and trained and we stand in readiness to deliver a smooth and seamless and peaceful and orderly process, all materials necessary have been distributed in sufficient quantities and these include COVID materials,” she said.
Mensa added: “Stringent COVID-19 protocols will be put in place and observed, the biometric verification has been prepared and deployed devices as a commission we expect a mere hundred 100 percentage turn out, and we are confident that the outcome will be peaceful, credible orderly, seamless and transparent with God being our helper.”
The EC chairperson further reiterated that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure the results of the election are declared on time to avoid unnecessary tension.
Security
Meanwhile, James Oppong- Boanuh, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), has also assured the security agencies are prepared to protect and safeguard peace during the polls.
He said his outfit has deployed some 62,794 security personnel to police the whole process throughout the country.
The personnel have been drawn from the Ghana Police Service, Fire Service, Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Prisons Service, customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Armed Forces will be deployed for the exercise.
According to him, a special armlet will be worn by security personnel during election for the purpose of easy identification.
Fred Dzakpata
* Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
#asaaseradio #TVOL #ElectionNerveCentre
