President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday expressed regret that some people are bent on discrediting the election by spreading false reports about alleged misconduct of election officials. ''Initial reports that have come to my notice are that the Electoral Commission is hoarding ballot boxes but these have turned out to be untrue. I wonder why some people will make up such stories to cast a slur on the poll'.
Speaking to reporters after he had voted at Osu, President Rawlings however said there have also been reports of minor disturbances and called for calm.
''Some supporters of opposition parties are intimidating and harassing People they perceive as NDC supporters. This is most unfortunate. We have Heard of incidents at La and Cape Coast. It is not how you intimidate the People. It is about how you win the election''.
The President said he wants the election to go on peacefully without Intimidation and provocation.
President Rawlings, replying to a question from a foreign journalist as to whether he would hand over to Mr J.A. Kufuor if the NPP presidential candidate won the election, said it is unthinkable to imagine he is capable of preventing anyone from taking up the seat of government.
''These are allegations. Some foreign governments are trying to interfere.
They should however, do it positively. They must not close their eyes to several things happening to defraud the election'', he said.
The winner of the election will take over from President Rawlings who steps down after completing two four-year terms.
Seven candidates are contesting the election and the Electoral Commission says the result will be declared in 72 hours.
More than 1,000 candidates are also contesting 200 parliamentary seats.
....Kufuor Votes In Accra
Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate, on Thursday voted in Accra -- the first time he had done so outside his Atwima Nwabiagya constituency in Ashanti Region.
He arrived at the Dzorwulo Temporary Open Space Polling station at the Airport Residential Area with his wife, Theresa, at 0922 hours and voted two minutes later. Mr Kufuor told journalists, who outnumbered voters at the station at the time, that he just wanted to be near home which is located about 300 metres from the polling station.
He described the Supreme Court ruling on voter identification as "a strange judgement that has blown the cleansing process up.
"In spite of the difficulties that the Electoral Commission had to contend with, I think they did their best until the last minute when they had to face this strange ruling." he said
The voters' register was released late to the various parties, he said adding "and we (NPP) had to pay 50 million cedis to get one."
The NPP flagbearer said the party would only accept the election results when it becomes satisfied that voters cast their votes without fear and intimidation. He deplored the deployment of armed policemen and the military in some parts of the country "because the ordinary rural person panics anytime he sees armed men. We certainly condemn any form of intimidation"
Mrs Kufuor was optimistic that the NPP was going to win the elections and called for calm. She said she was pleased that both of them voted in the same place this time. In the past he had voted in Ashanti while she voted in Accra. This time, she said, "I will not be bored, I will not be alone."
Mr Kufuor was born on December 8, 1938, at Damang in the Ashanti Region.
He entered Lincoln's Inn, London, where he obtained a degree in law in 1959. He studied at Oxford University in the United Kingdom from 1961 to 1964.
Mr Kufuor started his career as a Kumasi-based private legal practitioner from 1965 to 1969. He was City Manager and chief legal officer of the Kumasi City Council from 1967 to 1969.
He was a member of the Constituent Assembly that wrote the 1969 Second Republican Constitution and the Progress Party's MP for Atwima Nwabiaga constituency in 1979-1981.
He was appointed deputy minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of the late Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, which governed from 1969-72.
Mr Kufuor was the chairman of the board of directors of Ashanti Brick and Construction Company and of Cojak Company Limited between 1973 and 1978.
member of the Constituent Assembly that wrote the 1979 Third Republic Constitution, he entered parliament the same year for the Atwima Nwabiaga constituency on the ticket of the Popular Front Party (PFP), a successor to the Progress Party.
He was the deputy leader and spokesman for the PFP on Foreign Affairs. In 1982, the PNDC appointed him Secretary for Local Government. From 1988-1991, Mr Kufuor served as chairman of Asante Kotoko Football Club.
In 1992, he contested for NPP's presidential nomination but lost to Professor Albert Adu Boahen. He again contested for the party's presidential nomination in 1996, which he won and led the Great Alliance, comprised of People's Convention Party (PCP) and NPP, but lost to President Rawlings.
He is married to Theresa, a nurse/midwife, who was born on October 25, 1935.They have five children.
....John Mahama casts vote at Bole
Polling in the Bole-Bamboi constituency started on schedule with the large number of early voters bracing the cold harmattan weather to take their places in the queues long before voting officially started at 0700. Mr John Mahama, Minister of Communications who is seeking re-election as the MP for the area, Alhaji Seidu Iddi, Northern Regional Minister, Bolewura Amankwa Gbedese, chief of Bole, and Mr Musa Issah, District Co-ordinating Director were among the early voters.
Speaking to the GNA, Mr Mahama said he was happy to have discharged his civic duty in peace
He said if the orderly manner in which the electorate had maintained their places in the queues is anything to go by, then Ghana is in for peaceful elections. He reiterated the need for peace during and after the elections saying, "in whatever we do, and in all our actions, we must remember that we are foremost Ghanaians.
Mr Mahama said what remains now after the close of elections is for Ghanaians to wait patiently for the Electoral Commission to declare the results.
He urged losers to accept defeat graciously and for winners to remain humble and calm.
Alhaji Iddi described the turnout as impressive, saying "it is a sign of the level of political consciousness among Ghanaians."
He expressed the hope that all parties would accept the results of the election as representing the voice of the people once it was conducted in a free and fair manner. He urged Ghanaians to rally behind whoever wins to ensure peace. Other polling stations in the township are the chief's palace, the Methodist Church, the Home Science Centre and the Bole Secondary School, all of which recorded impressive turnouts. Polling in the Bole-Bamboi constituency started on schedule with the large number of early voters bracing the cold harmattan weather to take their places in the queues long before voting officially started at 0700.
Mr Mahama, Minister of Communications who is seeking re-election as the MP for the area, Alhaji Seidu Iddi, Northern Regional Minister, Bolewura Amankwa Gbedese, chief of Bole, and Mr Musa Issah, District Co-ordinating Director were among the early voters. Speaking to the GNA, Mr Mahama said he was happy to have discharged his civic duty in peace He said if the orderly manner in which the electorate had maintained their places in the queues is anything to go by, then Ghana is in for peaceful elections. He reiterated the need for peace during and after the elections saying, "in whatever we do, and in all our actions, we must remember that we are foremost Ghanaians. Mr Mahama said what remains now after the close of elections is for Ghanaians to wait patiently for the Electoral Commission to declare the results. He urged losers to accept defeat graciously and for winners to remain humble and calm. Alhaji Iddi described the turnout as impressive, saying "it is a sign of the level of political consciousness among Ghanaians." He expressed the hope that all parties would accept the results of the election as representing the voice of the people once it was conducted in a free and fair manner. He urged Ghanaians to rally behind whoever wins to ensure peace. Other polling stations in the township are the chief's palace, the Methodist Church, the Home Science Centre and the Bole Secondary School, all of which recorded impressive turnouts.
....Wereko-Brobby votes and predicts victory for UGM
Dr Charles Yvves Wereko-Brobby, Presidential Candidate of the United Ghana Movement, on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the tone of the elections saying, "we will definitely win." Dr Wereko Brobby said he was impressed by the maturity and order exhibited at the Ridge North Lyceum polling station at Kanda where he and his wife, Joyce voted.
He expressed the hope that this will be replicated across all polling stations. "As you can see I have just voted and I must say I am satisfied with the process and I must say we are going to win," he told the GNA.
When asked what his line of action would be if there were a round-off, Dr Wereko-Brobby said: " I believe my party would be one of the two to go into the second round. When this happens we will align with only those with whom we share common views on education, health and other areas of governance."
He did not say which party or parties the UGM might align with. There was a long queue of voters who said they started lining up as early as 6.45 am to ensure that they voted in time to see to other things.
Mr Emmanuel K. Ofosu, the presiding officer said voting started on time at 0700 hours and so far everything had been orderly despite the controversy surrounding the use of thumb printed ID cards and the photo ID cards.
"Even though no one has come with a thumb printed ID card yet, we do not expect a problem so long as the person is ready to go through the necessary formalities."
Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby was born in Kumasi in March 1953 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fuel and Combustion Engineering and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Solar Energy Engineering, both from the University of Leeds, UK.
He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Middlesex, Hendron UK, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Petroleum, UK. His political carrier started with the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1993. Dr Wereko-Brobby formed the UGM in 1996 after resigning from the NPP.
....Dan Lartey votes, and says he is impressed with calm at polling station
Mr Daniel Augustus Lartey, presidential candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), cast his vote at the Kaneshie West 4 and 5 polling station in the Ablekuma Central constituency and expressed the hope that the orderly voting procedure would be maintained. "I am satisfied with the situation here," he said. "I have not seen any policeman here, but people have queued peacefully. I hope that after voting, they will leave quietly and return at 1700 hours to observe the counting."
Mr Lartey and his entourage comprising his wife, Sarah Rosetta, vice presidential candidate Ewart Ladzagla and three party executives arrived at 0730 hours and were allowed to vote without queuing. Mr Lartey, 74, throughout the campaign stressed the importance of "domestication" as a way of increasing local production.
"We must grow what we eat and eat what we grow..." he stressed throughout his campaign.
Mr Lartey has consistently criticised neo-colonialism, which he defines as "Whiteman painted black government," saying that his government will replace it with a "black man government of the black man for the black man."
One of his most radical proposals is the creation of an upper Chamber in parliament to be the highest legal authority.
His party is contesting two parliamentary seats: Ablekuma Central in Greater Accra and Navrongo Central in Upper East regions respectively.
Mr Lartey, who was born on August 1, 1926 at Winneba in the Central Region, obtained a diploma at the London Chamber of Commerce in 1940.
In 1942, he obtained the Sloan's Shorthand Certificate of Proficiency and Diploma in Commerce and Industry from London School of Economics in 1956. From 1944 to 1958, Mr Lartey worked with the United Africa Company (UAC) where he rose to become a member of the Senior Management. He was posted to the Headquarters in Unilever House, London.
Mr Lartey established a number of businesses, including the Lartey and Lartey Books and Stationary, which later became the nucleus of the Ghana Book Supply, Citadel Printing Press and the Federal Stores of Nigeria.
His political carrier started in 1969 when he contested the Gomoa East constituency seat on the ticket of the National Alliance of Liberals (NAL). In 1972, he was appointed a special adviser to the National Redemption Council.
In 1978 he represented the Gomoa-Awutu-Effutu in the Constituent Assembly in the writing of the Third Republican Constitution.
Mr Lartey was a founding member of People's National Party (PNP) in 1979, was a presidential candidate of the National Independence Party (NIP) in 1992 and formed the GCPP to contest this year's election.
Sarah Rosetta, his wife, was born on 14th February 1923. Some 10.7 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in about 20,000 polling stations across the country to elect a new president and 200 lawmakers.
This will be the first time in Ghana's 43-year history that an elected President will hand power to another after serving his full constitutional term.
