Slow voter turnout in Cape Coast, Elmina

Cape Coast, Dec.28, GNA- There was slow voter turn out at polling stations in the Cape Coast and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) constituencies in the Presidential run off. When the GNA visited some polling stations on Sunday, the turnout was not like that of the December 7 elections, which was characterized by long and winding queues.

The queues during the run-off are short and in some polling stations, there were no queues with voters only trickling in. When the GNA visited eight polling stations, one at Abrem-Berase and seven at Agona-Abrem, a total of 211 people had turned out to cast their ballots between 0700 hours and 0930, out of a total of 2,657 expected voters.

At Abrem -Berase where there is only one polling station, the Methodist Church Berase-west polling station, the Central Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, was among the 170 voters who had cast their ballots there as at 0845 hours. He however dismissed the view that voter turn-out was slow, and told newsmen that voting has rather been quick because only two candidates are vying. He advised asked Ghanaians to respect the democracy that is being enjoyed in the country and to help ensure the maintenance of peace during and after the election.

In the Abrem-Agona township, 153 out of 694 registered voters had cast their ballots at the Cocoa Shed polling station, while at the Worakese polling station, 81 of the 356 registered had voted. At the council lane polling station in Elmina, where Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the defeated Presidential Candidate of the Convention People's Party (CPP), voted at 0725 hours, 260 of the 1,471 registered had cast their ballots as at 0924 hours.

The Presiding Officer, Mr Isaac Akuamoah was optimistic that more people will turn up in the afternoon. At many of the stations there were no queues and voting was going on smoothly with security men at almost all the polling stations. Party agents of the two contesting parties were also present at all the polling stations. Some churches were seen holding services in Cape Coast and Elmina. The Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr Samuel Tettey, told the GNA that, the exercise was going on smoothly and that he was yet to receive any major complaints.