Missing names mar special voting exercise in Kumasi

Correspondence from Ashanti region

The ongoing special voting exercise in Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti region, has been characterised by an episode of missing names in the register.

Security personnel, media personnel, officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) and other essential workers, who will be playing a key role on December 7 are taking part in the exercise.

In the Ashanti region, 17,000 people are expected to take part in the exercise which commenced at 7:00 am and will be closing at 5:00 pm.

Across the country, 109,577 people are supposed to be casting their ballot today ahead of the general elections in a week's time.

The exercise is being held in 48 centers across the 47 constituencies in the region which has the second highest population in this year's voter's register.

Apart from the Subin constituency which has two centres, the remaining constituencies have a centre each.

If not for the reported cases of missing names on the register, the exercise has been generally peaceful as at the time this report was being filed.

At the Kwadaso Methodist school which housed the centre for Kwadaso constituency, a whopping 20 security officers who turned up to cast their votes could not locate their names on the list.



A similar incident was reported at the Patasi Police Training School in the Nhyieaso constituency.

At the Central Police Station in the Subin constituency, the story was not different as some officers names were missing from the electoral roll.

Though the officers whose names were missing expressed disappointment over the development, they did not create any unacceptable scene at the places they went.

Meanwhile, the affected people have been assured by EC officials in Kumasi that they would be able to exercise their franchise on the main election day.

However, the registrants who were lucky to have their names on the register exercised their civic responsibility in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity in all the centres visited.

Importantly, at all the centres visited, the various covid-19 safety protocols were being observed strictly.

This included the washing of hands with soap under running water, usage of sanity, social distancing and the checking of temperature.

Polling agents of the various political parties, especially the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were present at the centres to discharge their assigned duties.

Security was also tight in all the centres to ensure that the exercise went on smoothly without any hitch.

Parliamentary candidates of the various parties and their team were also seen moving round the centres to monitor the exercise.

Leadership of the major political parties were not left out, as they were also seen visiting the centres to observe the polls.

One interesting development which has gained attention in the metropolis is the display of the cast ballot by some officers on social media, particularly Facebook.

Some officers took a picture of the ballot paper after the cast and displayed them on Facebook.

Whilst, some captured a vote for President Akufo Addo, others showed a vote for ex-President Mahama.

The spectacle has already initiated a heated debate on social media between the NPP and NDC followers as to who is likely to win the special voting exercise.

Pictures above are some scenes from the voting centres in Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti region.