The Electoral Commission (EC) has extended the voting period in some polling stations in the Afram Plains North constituency of the Eastern Region to 10 pm.
The Commission explained that it took the decision after receiving reports about challenges some prospective voters encountered while trying to arrive at some polling stations located in the area.
Addressing the press, the EC’s Director of Electoral Services, Samuel Tettey said: “We have received reports about challenges with the polling stations located in the Island. That Island is one of the difficult areas to reach.”
He said due to the challenges, the EC had to airlift ballots to the respective polling stations, a situation he said delayed polls for two hours.
“…Ballot papers and other voting materials were airlifted to the Island at 9: 30 am. The Aircraft had two Islands to airlift ballots to. The first one is the Begwa Island and the second is the Dwarf Island and it took at least two hours for the materials to be distributed to all the polling stations on the Island hence voting started late.”
Mr. Tettey explained that “following a review of the situation at 5pm, the Commission has decided to extend voting in these areas by five hours.”
“…In the dwarf island, there are a number of polling stations in that Island and voting has been extended by five hours. Voting as I speak to you is still ongoing and will end at about 10 pm however all voters in the queue after 10 pm will still get the chance or opportunity to vote.,” he explained.
He said the Commission has also made adequate provision for solar lamps in the polling stations, where there are challenges with electricity.
The Eastern Regional branch of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) had earlier called on the EC to extend the voting period in the Constituency.
The party said it is unhappy as a lot of voters in the constituency would be disenfranchised because of late start of voting in most areas in the Region.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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