Ghana-Togo Border opened on election day

Togo’s frontier with Ghana at Aflao remained open today contrary to fears that the Togolese authorities might close their side of the border as they did during the 2008 elections.

This has facilitated a continuous traffic of some Ghanaians from Nigeria, Benin and Togo into the country to take part in today’s elections.

Ghana News Agency observed that some of the home-comers spent the night in Aflao yesterday in transit to various parts of the country.

Voting in Aflao in the Ketu South constituency took off on schedule Friday morning with long and orderly queues formed ahead of voting time.

About 120,000 people were expected to vote in the constituency.

Some Polling Officials recruited by the Electoral Commission to conduct the elections in some Polling Centres however did not report for work by 0900 hours.

At the Preventive School Voting Centre only two out of five officials were on duty while three were on duty at Zigakponu out of five.

Mr Sabah Prosper, the Returning Officer Told the Ghana News Agency that he has reported the absenteeism to the Returning Officer who promised to solve the problem.

At the Post Office Centre where about 2,700 were expected to vote the security were hard pressed to control some impatient youths.

Polling Officials and some voters however expressed satisfaction with the efficiency of the verification machine.

They said a voter spent an average of one minute to go through the processes of voting.

At the Akusa Park Centre “A” 42 out of 807 registered voters had voted by 0758 hours while 50 out of 910 voters on the register at Zigakponu had cast their votes by 0815 hours.

Joshua Klu who voted at the Timber market Centre “A”, said “the voting has been smooth, fast and transparent with nobody disturbing the friend.”

So far one person’s verification was rejected at Zigakponu Centre “B” and one person’s name not traced in the register at Akusa Park Centre “B”.

Mr Emmanuel Donkor, Aflao District Police Commander told the GNA that the security situation was under control.

Mr Alex Dabi, the Returning Officer, said the long queues and anxiety of voters were the only challenges as everything else was stable.