Journalists surprised by peace in Dzodze

Dzodze, Dec 10, GNA - The total orderliness in Dzodze in the Ketu North constituency on election-day was a pleasant surprise to journalists who had invaded the town in anticipation of election violence.

There had been intense political rivalry and acrimony between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the run up to the election, leading to breaches of the law. A week to Election Day supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) clashed during a street keep-fit walk at Dzodze. Mr Geoffrey Darko, Assistant Superintendent of Police and Head of the Ketu-North District Election Security Task Force, said suspects had been released on bail.

Led by Chief Inspector Andrews Avorgbedor, Station Officer at the Dzodze Police station, the police deployed personnel in riot control gear at all polling stations and secured the collating centre at the Ketu-North District Assembly Offices at Dzodze just before polling ended.

The presence of military personnel was also visible on the streets and at the collation centre. Mr Modestus Ahiable, Volta Regional Chairman of the NDC, told the dutiful efforts of the security. Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister who contested the Ketu-North for the third time on the ticket of the NPP, again lost to Mr James Klutse Avedzi, the incumbent NDC MP. Mr Dzamesi's performance however appreciated from 10,369 or 26.7 percent of valid votes in the 2004 elections to 10,894 or 30.36 percent in 2008. Nicholas Agbogli, Peoples National Convention (PNC), Daniel Ablor, Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and Benedicta Yibor, Convention Peoples Party (CPP) all of whom had between 0.28 percent and 0.88 percent of the valid votes.