Voting in the District Level Elections (DLEs) is progressing steadily across the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis in the Western Region.

The usual long queues that characterise the general election were missing, with some of the electoral officers sitting idle when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited some of the voting centres to observe progress of the process.

There was calm at the centres visited, with security officials present to ensure law and order, while the agents of the various candidates were observing the process.

At the Robert Mensah Takoradi 1 Polling Station in the Amanful West Electoral Area, 12 out of the total registered voters of 322, had cast their ballots at 0900 hours.

The GNA observed that 19 out of the 357 registered voters had also cast their ballots at the Robert Mensah Takoradi 2 Polling Station.

Mr Kojo Sackey, the Presiding Officer at the Robert Mensah Takoradi 1, told the GNA that the process was progressing devoid of any anomalies.

‘The only challenge is that some of the elect
orate come without their voters identification cards, but we are able to verify them using their names on their Ghana Cards to give them the chance to cast their ballots,’ he said.

At the Ahanta House Polling Centre, 24 persons had cast their votes out of the registered 304 voters, while 17 out of 584 had voted at the Nock Chemist Takoradi centre, as at 0915 hours.

For the Amanful East Electoral Area, the officers at the H.M. Technical Takoradi 1 Polling Centre, told the GNA that 35 out of the 385 expected voters had cast their ballots, as at 0920 hours. Likewise, 28 out of the registered 360, had also voted at the H.M. Technical Takoradi 2, at the same time.

Mr Isaac Adu-Mensah, a polling agent for one of the aspirants at H.M Technical Takoradi 1, expressed satisfaction at how smoothly the process was going, and encouraged residents in the area to turn-out massively to elect the next Assembly Member for the Amanful East.

By 0925 hours, when the GNA got to the All Needs Super Market Voting Centre, out of
a total of 467 registered voters, 31 had cast their ballots. Also, 32 out of the 605 registered voters had voted at the City Council Hall 1, with 25 out of 571 also voting at the City Council Hall 2.

At the Cassava Farm Electoral Area, 26 out of the 257 had voted at the Anagye Trotro Station Polling Station as at 0930 hours, whereas 30 out of the 436 had cast their votes at the Columbia Day Care Centre and at the Unichem Pharmacy Polling Centre 19 out the 303 on the roll had voted.

Mr Zachariah Felix, the Presiding Officer at the Caprice Polling Station, Kweikuma, told the GNA that 412 electorate were expected, however, 29 of them had voted as at 0930 hours.

The atmosphere was serene with security personnel on duty ensuring a smooth election, and polling agents monitoring proceedings.

At New Takoradi, 23 out the 358 electorate at the Lower Town Akubrom Polling Station A had also voted as at 0930 hours.

Likewise, 13 out of the 540 had voted at the Polling Station B as at 0932 hours.

At the Sailors’ Polli
ng Station 36 out of 673 had cast their votes as of 0932hours.

At the Yetsease ECG Substation Polling Station in the New Takoradi Upper Town, 52 out of the expected 630 voters has cast their ballots, while at the Nana Baidoo Bonsu JHS, 14 out 404 had voted.

For the Roman School Polling Station 39 out of 417 had also cast their ballots.

Voting was scheduled to start at 0700 hours across the country and end at 1700 hours.

According to the Electoral Commission,18,580 persons are contesting the DLEs with 17,474 being males.

Some 4,336 persons are also vying for Unit Committee positions.

Assembly and Unit Committee Members have a four-year tenure.

The elections are, however, not being held in the Nkoranza North and South in the Bono East Region because the Assembly and Unit Committee Members were elected in December, 2019.
Source: Ghana News Agency