Election 2020: Biometric challenges confront voting process in Abuesi in Shama

Western Regional Correspondent:

The Western Regional Organizer of NDC Japhet Baidoo has called on officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) to as a matter of urgency rectify an on-going biometric problem confronting the voting process in Abuesi, one of the fishing communities in the Shama Constituency.

He claims officials manning the various polling stations in the community are deliberately delaying the voting process, while using the biometric challenges as an excuse.

According to Japhet Baidoo, the community has been the strongest base of NDC, and therefore any attempt to disenfranchise the people through delay tactics would be resisted by the party.

Speaking in an interview, the Regional Organizer, called on the Electoral Commission officials dispatched to the community to discharge their duties without fear or favor.

He wants the EC officials to rectify the problem confronting the affected polling centers in order to offer over two thousand electorates an opportunity to exercise their franchise.

As at 300:00 pm, the NDC Regional Organizer said only over hundred electorates had cast their ballots in the area leaving many in queues.

The situation in Abuesi, he underscored could create tension in Shama if not addressed immediately by the EC officials.

Even Methodist Primary School polling station, which is in front of the house of the NDC Parliamentary candidate, Gabriel Essilfie, he noted, has also been affected by the challenges facing the machines.

Under the circumstance, Japhet Baidoo says, the EC boss in the Region must step in to assure the electorates that they will have an opportunity to exercise their franchise despite the hiccups encountered.