Eight polling stations in Kassena-Nankana cannot vote

Eight out of the 99 polling stations in the Kasena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region, comprising 3000 people would not be able to vote in the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Mr Pawiah Ofori, Municipal Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday said the Atosale, Azanze, Akurugu Daboo and Abinpingo polling stations who refused to take part in the Biometric Voter registration exercise would not be able to vote.

Mr Ofori was responding to questions by political youth activists at a workshop organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Navrongo on the theme, “Empowering the Youth to Stand Up For Ghana for a Peaceful Election 2012”.

He stated that other areas that would not be able to vote were the Doba and Gayingo areas that also constituted four polling stations.

Some party youth representatives at the workshop also voiced their displeasure about some polling stations that were still draped in party colors even though Election Day was around the corner.

The EC official gave the assurance that those areas would be checked and appropriate actions taken to correct the situation. ASP Abdul- Latif Nbonwura, Navrongo Municipal Police Commander, said peace was essential at this time when Ghanaians prepared for the polls.

The Police Commander, speaking on the topic, “Public order act and elections: Prospects and challenges", assured participants that plans were in place to provide all polling stations and flash points adequate security in the 198 polling stations that included Kassena-Nankana West.

He urged all to exercise tolerance and to direct their problems to the appropriate quarters for redress rather than take advantage of any problem to create trouble.

He advised all aspirants to consider each other as brothers and to accept the results of the polls when they are announced.

Madam Mary Ankrah, head of Programmes, NCCE, tasked all political parties whose representatives would be monitoring the polls to select those who had numeracy skills to supervise the counting of ballot papers so that they would all accept in good faith the results.

She said some parties had the tendency of presenting “macho men” whose presence at polling stations could intimidate the electorate.