GRi Newsreel Ghana
07 - 12 - 2000
Voting begins in Election 2000
Voting starts late at some polling stations
Rawlings calls for peaceful elections
NPP will abide by court's ruling – Mensah
Rawlings: Who am I to decide for the military?
Police arrest 36 NPP supporters
Voters rush to hometowns to vote
Journalists advised to avoid controversial reports
Armed Security Personnel at polls will scare voters-MP
NRP denies the resignation of Ashanti region candidates
Parties disapprove of military deployment in Brong Ahafo Region
There will be no armed personnel at polling stations – Walenkaki
Woman allowed to vote after threatening suicide
NPP Presidential Running Mate Votes
Voting peaceful and orderly in Kumasi
Man arrested at Dansoman for impersonation
Electoral Commissioner tours polling stations
Mills casts ballot, says "I'll win."
Professor Hagan, Naadu Mills cast vote at the same polling station
Goosie hopes to win 35 per cent
Wereko-Brobby votes and predicts victory for UGM
John Mahama casts vote at Bole
Dan Lartey votes, and says he is impressed with calm at polling station
Voting begins in Election 2000
Accra
(Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
Voting in
Ghana’s Election 2000 began at 0700 hours on Thursday with long queues at
polling stations long before the polls opened.
This is the
first time in Ghana's history that an elected leader will hand power over to
another elected leader in the country's 43-year history.
It is the
third successive multi-party elections under President Jerry Rawlings, who
transformed himself from a military leader into a democratically elected
president in 1996. His term of office ends on January 7, next year.
Some 10.7
million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots during the 10-hour
period in more than 20,000 polling stations across the country to elect a new
president and 200 parliamentarians.
Polling
continues until 1700 hours unless they are extended because of technical
reasons. The first results are expected late on Thursday night or early on
Friday morning. The Electoral Commission expects all results to be declared
within 72 hours.
Seven
presidential candidates, all supported by political parties, are contesting for
the highest office in the land.
They are
Vice-President John Atta Mills (National Democratic Congress), Mr John Agyekum
Kufuor (New Patriotic Party), Dr Edward Mahama (People's National Convention)
and Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby (United Ghana Movement).
The rest
are Mr Goosie Tanoh (National Reform Party), Professor George Hagan (Convention
People's Party) and Mr Dan Lartey (Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).
The
candidate who wins 50 per cent of the votes plus one wins the presidential
contest and would rule for four years. In the event of no candidate winning
that magic number in the first round, there would be a run-off between the
top-two candidates in two weeks.
According
to figures compiled by the Ghana News Agency, 1,063 parliamentary candidates,
including 93 women, are contesting but there have been several last-minute
pullouts by candidates of opposition parties in favour of the NDC.
President
Jerry John Rawlings in a broadcast on Wednesday night said it is the
responsibility of officials of the Electoral Commission (EC), especially those
at the polling stations, to be fair and truthful and not to condone
irregularities that could bring the results of the general election into
disrepute.
"As
the end of my term of office as your President draws nearer, it is my deepest
wish to see my successor, whoever he may be, elected honourably, fairly and
without any rancorous controversy," he said.
He appealed
to Ghanaians to demonstrate their maturity and sense of civic responsibility by
calmly going through the voting procedure and then leaving the polling station
for the authorised officials to do their duty.
The voting
is going ahead after the Supreme Court cleared the knotty issue of the form of
identification for the poll.
The
elections were thrown into doubt when a voter sued the EC over its decision to
allow only holders of photo ID cards to vote.
Mr. Philip
Kwaku Apaloo of Kaneshie, in Accra, filed the suit saying the EC's decision was
inconsistent with Article 42 of the constitution.
He sought a
relief that not until the case is determined; the elections should not be
conducted.
A
five-member Supreme Court presided over by Mrs Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo,
unanimously ruled that registered voters with either the photo or thumb-printed
ID card can vote in Thursday's presidential and parliamentary elections.
The court
declared as void the Electoral Commission's directives issued on November 11
that the Returning Officer and party agents must identify voters in possession
of thumbprint cards.
It also
declared void other directives given to polling agents and party
representatives at polling stations with regard to identification of voters
with thumbprint cards.
GRi…/
Voting starts late at some polling stations
Accra
(Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
Polling
started late at a number of polling stations in the Accra Metropolis and Ga
North constituency because of delayed
arrival of election materials.
At Christ
the King polling station in the Dade Kotopon constituency, voting started at
0816 hours instead of 7 am, as the 140 voters who had queued, some since 0430
hours, were getting restless.
They
shouted: "Shame, Shame" when the truck conveying the ballot materials
eventually arrived.
All the
parties except the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), were represented by
their polling agents.
The
presiding officer, Mr Vital Ankuvi said polling would end at 1816 hours instead
of 1700 to make up for the lost time.
The station
has 1,245 voters on the register with five transferred voters and a proxy
voter.
At Tsui Bleo
polling station at Teshie in the Ledzokuku constituency voting did not start
until about 0730 because of the late arrival of election materials.
Long before
polling was due to start at 0700 more than 120 voters were already in the queue
some of them having arrived at the polling station as early as 0400. There are
1,143 registered voters at the polling station.
Polling
agents for all the contesting political parties were represented at the
station.
There was
about an hour's delay at two polling stations at Madina in the Ga North
constituency due to late delivery of ballot boxes.
The polling
stations are located at the Saint Peters Mission Preparatory School and the Jem
Coll Nursery.
However
voting at Madina Number One School and the Social Welfare Centre started on
time. Mr Joseph Ackerson, the Presiding Officer at the Saint Peters Mission
School station said he was at the Social Welfare Centre early in the morning to
collect his ballot boxes but the Returning Officer, Mr Agyei Gyamrah informed
him he would bring them himself.
Mr.
Ackerson said Mr Gyamrah was distributing the ballot boxes to the various
centres.
GRi../
Rawlings calls for peaceful elections
Accra
(Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
President
Jerry John Rawlings on Wednesday said that it is the responsibility of
officials of the Electoral Commission (EC), especially those at the polling
stations, to be fair and truthful and not to condone irregularities that could
bring Thursday's general election
results into disrepute.
"As
the end of my term of office as your President draws nearer, it is my deepest
wish to see my successor, whoever he may be, elected honourably, fairly and
without any rancorous controversy."
President
Rawlings said in a radio and television broadcast on the eve of the elections
in which seven candidates are vying for the presidency and over 1,000
candidates for 200 parliamentary seats that Thursday's event will show whether
Ghana's democracy has put down strong roots.
He appealed
to Ghanaians to demonstrate their maturity and their sense of civic
responsibility by calmly going through the voting procedure and then leaving
the polling station for the authorised officials to do their duty.
"As we
follow the incoming results, whether they please or disappoint us, let us not
react in any way which may provoke or insult those who hold different
views."
President
Rawlings said on January 7, 2001, he expects to hand over the duties of
president to the new person who will be elected.
"My
fervent hope and aspiration is that I should do this while taking great pride
and satisfaction in our collective achievements of a stable, peaceful and
thriving democracy after several years of trials and errors."
Therefore,
his caution against doing anything that could question the integrity of the
electoral process is to ensure that Ghana does not reduce itself to the level
of some other countries for whom democratisation has become a nightmare.
But his
well-intentioned observations have been deliberately distorted to serve as a
campaign issue for certain political figures.
"And,
as has often been the case, some foreign organisations and governments have
fallen prey to the disinformation and sought to use it as a basis to question
the country's commitment to democracy."
"For
me, the loss of even a single Ghanaian life over election disputes is already
one life too many.
"At
the same time, the possible disenfranchisement of even a single eligible voter
who is capable and willing to participate in the exercise is not worthy of the
participatory democracy that we have struggled throughout these several years
to establish," President Rawlings said.
President
Rawlings said the military would not participate in any action that could
compromise national security and the respect the country enjoys in the
international community.
"The
only interest of the military and the security agencies is to preserve national
stability and assist in ensuring that the electoral process is without
blemish."
He said
there is no honour in wining an election by foul means or through violent
behaviour, adding: "Let us win, but let us do so in a clean, honest and
orderly demonstration of the will of the people. That way, no one in this country or elsewhere can say no to such
a President".
President
Rawlings said no constituency or region must bring dishonour to the country as
Ghana stands tall and proud as one of the few black African countries that has
proved itself capable of managing its own affairs.
"Let
that President and Parliamentarians emerge through the hand of God and that I
believe can happen only when every registered individual voter is encouraged
and guided to go and make his or her choice alone in peace."
He
cautioned that, to prevent or intimidate others from exercising this right that
is exercised all over the world, would only be inviting sparks that could lead
to a situation beyond anyone's control.
President
Rawlings appealed to foreign observers and monitors to spread themselves evenly
at all the polling stations and have open minds and a sense of fairness.
He said
this is an opportunity for Ghana to consolidate its democracy in the full view
of the rest of the world, which has grown sceptical about the ability of Africa
to chart a viable and consistent democratic path for generations to come.
"I
therefore take this opportunity to assure you all that wherever the future
takes me after January 7, 2001, I will always cherish the hope that Ghana
remains the jewel that it has become," the President said.
GRi…/
NPP will abide by court's ruling – Mensah
Sunyani
(Brong Ahafo) 07 December 2000
Mr J. H.
Mensah, NPP MP for Sunyani East, has said that the party will abide by the
Supreme Court's decision on the validity of thumbprint voter identity cards in
the December 7 elections.
"If
the courts have decided to restore legal validity to the thumbprint identity
cards, which had been demonetised by the issuing authority, which is the
Electoral Commission (EC), then we in the NPP as democrats will obey the
court's decision."
Mr Mensah,
Minority Leader in Parliament, was commenting on Tuesday on the Supreme Court's
decision in favour of the use of thumbprint voter identity cards in Sunyani.
"Even
though we may think it is wrong-headed, the important thing for the integrity
of the election is that a loophole has not been created for the perpetration of
electoral malpractice such as impersonation, double voting and the resurrection
of many ghost voters in the voters register."
The
Minority Leader said that "pending an official statement from the NPP
headquarters, I think this might be the view of our party based on its
philosophy and tradition".
The
People's National Convention (PNC), however, holds a contrary view. "We
are not happy with the court ruling," said Mr Owusu Nelson, Brong Ahafo
Regional Chairman of the party.
He
explained that the court should have considered the majority of the electorate
who had wished the use of only photo identity cards.
"The
court's decision was contrary to the wish of the majority of the people and
that can lead to a chaotic and violent situation because all the seven
political parties except the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were against
the use of thumbprint identity cards," he added.
"This,
therefore, means that the NDC is preaching virtue and practising vice since the
use of thumbprint voter identity cards, which they strongly advocated for, can
create problems for peace in the country."
Mr Nelson
said due to the court's decision, Ghanaians are at a loss if the EC is an
independent body solely responsible for the conduct and supervision of
elections in the country.
GRi../
Rawlings: Who am I to decide for the military?
Accra
(Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
President
Jerry John Rawlings on Tuesday dismissed claims by the opposition that he was
setting the security forces against them, saying he was in no position to do
that.
"Who
am I? Nobody, not even the president of America can use our brothers and
sisters in the military, to stop someone, who has honestly won the mandate of
the people to enter the Castle," the President said, when he addressed a
packed crowd at an NDC rally in Accra.
President
Rawlings said the military consists of men and women of high integrity and high
sense of responsibility and do not need anyone to tell them what to do.
"They
have won recognition and respect in many countries abroad for excelling in high
professionalism any where they find themselves and could not be taken for a
ride."
"What
they will not do, however, is to stand aloof and allow a group of people
seeking power at all cost, to disrupt the hard earned achievements of the
country.
"We'll
not allow the opposition to draw us back," President Rawlings said.
He
described the hard stand of the opposition against the use of thumbprint
identity cards in Thursday's elections as very unfortunate and said the ruling
by the Supreme Court is a victory for thousands of voters in deprived areas,
who could have been disenfranchised.
President
Rawlings also condemned the attitude of protestors, who trooped to the Court
premises while the case was being heard.
For
instance, he said, there could have been violent clashes had the NDC, which was
opposed to the opposition's stand on the issue also sent supporters to the
Court to make noise.
President
Rawlings recalled few chapters in Ghana's history especially the hard times,
and the gradual process of development the country went through, saying that
should form the basis for the electorate to make their choice on Thursday.
"You
should never make a mistake and give the key to the vehicle that we have toiled
to acquire, to them (opposition).
"We
have fixed the tyres, the battery is charged and everything is set for
take-off," he said, adding, "if we make that mistake by letting out
the key to them, we'd not get to our destination."
According
to him, "the only experienced person to sit behind the wheels and move us
forward is Vice President John Evans Atta Mills.
"Professor
Mills is the only asset among all the candidates. The rest are all
liabilities," President Rawlings declared.
He added,
however, "if Mr Kufuor, Mr Domestication (Dan Lartey), or anybody else
wants power, they should do it honestly and not through lies and
half-truths."
The rally
marked the last in the regional series, and was attended by a milling crowd of
enthusiastic supporters clad in party colours.
GRi…/
Police arrest 36 NPP supporters
Tema
(Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
The Police
in Tema on Monday arrested 36 people suspected to be supporters of the NPP in a
dawn swoop at Tema Manhean for questioning about their alleged attack on some
NDC supporters last Sunday.
Deputy
Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Selwyn Bart-Mettle, Tema Regional Police
Commander who disclosed this said the suspects have been granted bail.
He said at
about 1000 hours on Sunday, some NDC supporters who were on pick-up announcing
the holding of a party rally in the afternoon, alleged that they were attacked
and stoned by about 500 NPP supporters who were on a keep fit exercise.
In the
process two NDC supporters, Miss Elizabeth Tetteh and Miss Charlotte Lankai
were assaulted and, their necklaces and wrist watches, stolen. Miss Tetteh also
had her dress torn.
Mr
Bart-Mettle warned supporters of political parties to refrain from violence
saying the police would deal drastically with offenders. He urged party leaders
to ensure that nothing is done to mar the peaceful electioneering process.
GRi…/
Voters rush to hometowns to vote
Sunyani
(Brong Ahafo) 07 December 2000
With the
historic presidential and parliamentary elections underway, hundreds of
residents in the Sunyani Municipality are rushing to their hometowns to cast
their vote.
The
situation has created a boom for operators in the transport business as
depicted by the chaotic scenes at the various lorry stations.
Officials
of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) told the Ghana News Agency
that the rate of vehicular movement from Sunyani to various destinations in the
Brong Ahafo Region and elsewhere had increased tremendously as a result of the
rush.
GRi…/
Journalists advised to avoid controversial reports
Tamale
(Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
The
Northern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr
Alhassan Imoro, on Wednesday called on journalists to avoid controversial
reports likely to undermine Thursday's presidential and parliamentary
elections.
"We
should all observe the GJA guidelines on election coverage in order to
contribute to the peaceful elections Ghanaians expect," he told the Ghana News
Agency in an interview in Tamale.
Mr. Imoro
said media practitioners in the Northern Region have a social responsibility to
preserve the peace and stability the people are enjoying after the 1994 bloody
ethnic conflict in some parts of the region.
"Undoubtedly,
the electioneering campaign has led to political tension in the region and
there is, therefore, the need for journalists to help restore normalcy by
reporting on all issues dispassionately, accurately and without bias."
Mr. Imoro,
who is also the Tamale Municipal Director of the National Commission on Civic
Education (NCCE), said his outfit has collaborated with Action Aid Ghana and
other non-governmental organisations to create public awareness on the need for
incident-free elections.
He said leaders
of the various political parties should place the interest of the state above
all partisan considerations to ensure peaceful, free and fair polls.
"They
should also accept the verdict of voters on December 7 in good faith because
only one party can win the elections."
GRi…/
Armed Security Personnel at polls will scare voters-MP
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 07 December 2000
Nana Kwame
Asante Frimpong, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwabre on Wednesday said the use
of armed security personnel at polling stations, could scare voters from
participating in Thursday's elections.
He said in
a rural constituency such as Kwabre, with about 95 per cent being supporters of
the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the presence of armed security agents would be
to the detriment of the party.
Speaking at
a press conference in Kumasi he said: "security men in the rural areas
would not assist in ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections".
He
expressed concern about the activities of security personnel in the run up to
the election, citing an instance when the Police Striking Force allegedly
disrupted a workshop for NPP polling agents at Mampongteng on December 2.
GRi…/
NRP denies the resignation of Ashanti region candidates
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 07 December 2000
Opanin
Kwame Afreh, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Reform Party (NRP), has
described news reports alleging that all the 24 parliamentary candidates of the
party in Ashanti have resigned as false, misleading and politically motivated.
Mr. Bernard
Bekoe, the party's parliamentary candidate for Ahafo-Ano South at a press
conference at Mankranso on Tuesday, announced the resignations.
Speaking to
the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi on Wednesday, Opanin Afreh said as
Regional chairman of the party, he has not received any letter of resignation
from any candidate in the region.
He also
said he is not in anyway associated with the news conference held by Mr. Bekoe.
Opanin
Afreh condemned Mr Bekoe's behaviour which he said is aimed at destroying the
image of the NRP in the region and called on the electorate and well-meaning
Ghanaians to ignore him.
He said all
the other candidates are vigorously pursuing their political activities to ensure
victory for the NRP in Thursday's elections.
Opanin
Afreh said information reaching him indicates that some political parties are
attempting to infiltrate the ranks of the NRP adding, "they will not
succeed".
Mr. Charles
Ofori, Regional secretary of the party, appealed to the parliamentary
candidates to stand firmly behind NRP to ensure victory on Thursday.
GRi…/
Parties disapprove of military deployment in Brong Ahafo Region
Sunyani
(Brong Ahafo) 07 December 2000
Political
parties in the Brong Ahafo Region have expressed their dissatisfaction with the
level of transparency so far exhibited by the regional office of the Electoral
Commission (EC) in its preparation towards Thursday's election.
They have,
however questioned the widespread deployment of soldiers who are allegedly
intimidating and harassing opposition supporters in the region.
The parties
told the Ghana News Agency in separate interviews in Sunyani on Wednesday about
their perception of preparations being made towards the conduct of Thursday's
elections in the region.
They stated
that whilst they generally do not have any problem with the arrangements being
made by the EC in respect of the election, they strongly disapprove of the
security arrangements regarding the exercise.
Mr. Awudu
Nelson, Regional Chairman of the People's National Convention (PNC), said the
conspicuous presence of the military all over the region "is scary and
intimidating" as the soldiers have been molesting certain opposition supporters.
"Ghana
is not in a state of war and as such all internal security measures should have
been left for the police and not the military, which has been deployed
throughout the region for several days now."
Mr. Nelson
urged the EC to continue to assert its independence and neutrality and resist
any attempt to manipulate it for partisan interests during the elections.
Mr. James
Kwaku Tawiah and Mrs Joana Abrebese, Regional Chairman and Wenchi West
parliamentary candidate, respectively, of the Convention People's Party, called
for the immediate withdrawal of the soldiers.
They
alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for
one of the two Wenchi constituencies has been going on his campaign trail with
three soldiers.
"All
what these soldiers have been doing is to fire unnecessary warning shots and
physically assault suspected opponents of the candidate without any justifiable
cause."
The
regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which claims its supporters
have been the major victims of the soldiers' brutality since they were
deployed, has also expressed "indignation" over the use of the
military in the electoral exercise.
All the
parties interviewed, namely the CPP, PNC, NPP, and the National Reform Party,
gave the assurance that they were prepared for the polls and urged their
supporters to ignore all intimidating tactics and come out in their numbers to
vote on Thursday.
A GNA
attempt to get a word from the NDC failed as its officials were said to be out
campaigning.
GRi…/
There will be no armed personnel at polling stations - Walenkaki
Tamale
(Northern Region) 07 December 2000
The
Commissioner of Police in charge of the Northern Sector, Mr David Walenkaki,
has said that security personnel who would be deployed at polling stations
would not be armed.
He,
however, said that armed security personnel would be patrolling the polling
stations to ensure that nobody disrupts the election.
In an
interview with the GNA in Tamale on Wednesday, Mr Walenkaki said under no
circumstance will security personnel use ammunition during the elections.
"The
security personnel would use rubber bullets or tear gas as a last resort,"
adding that they have been asked to exercise maximum restraint even at the
extreme provocation.
He said
adequate security measures have been taken to ensure a peaceful election and
security has been beefed up at some identified flash points.
Mr.
Walenkaki said he had met the leadership of all the political parties in the
Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions and indications were that they all
want peace during and after the elections.
In the
former conflict areas in the Northern Region, Mr Walenkaki said an aggressive
educational campaign mounted by the security personnel had yielded results but
warned that, this notwithstanding, adequate security would be provided in the
areas.
Mr.
Walenkaki called on the electorate to see the police as friends who are there
to protect everybody, irrespective of political affiliations.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
Voting ended officially in the presidential and
parliamentary elections on Thursday and counting is beginning in the open
immediately at all polling stations.
The first results are expected later on Thursday through
early Friday.
Voting was generally peaceful except in some polling
stations where the behaviour of party agents created confusion.
An unspecified number of people were arrested trying to vote
more than once or impersonate.
There were delays in voting in some polling stations and the
EC would extend the time accordingly to allow the stipulated 10-hour voting
period.
Some 10.7 million voters were expected to have voted.
There were seven presidential candidates and 1.063
parliamentary candidates in the 200 constituencies.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 7 December
Mr Darko Mensah, NPP parliamentary candidate for Ga North
was reported to have attempted to impose his own agents on polling officers in
his constituency.
A source at the Alogboshie 1 and 2 Primary School polling
station told the Ghana News Agency that the MP came to the centre and insisted
that his own trained polling agents should assist in the exercise but Mrs
Victoria Betty Conutsey, the presiding officer, objected.
Chief Inspector Joe Oppong of the Mile Seven Police Station
confirmed the allegation.
He said Mr Mensah was invited to the police station upon a
complaint from one of the voters and was advised to leave the center, which he
did.
In another development, the chief of Alogboshie, Nana Kuma
Atiso, caused a gong-gong to be beaten in the area to advise the youth to
desist from any act of provocation.
This became necessary after a fight between two boys at the
Alogboshie 1 and 2 Primary School polling centre.
GRi…/
Bobrama (Western Region) 07 December 2000
Opening of the polls at Bobrama polling station in the
Ellemble Constituency was delayed until 0815 hours because of a
misunderstanding between polling agents and their assistants, according to the
presiding officer.
"The polling agents wanted to position themselves just
behind their assistants to actually verify what will transpire between the
assistants and the voters. The assistants were not happy with the
arrangement," said the presiding officer.
"This brought about serious commotion hence the late
start of voting."
The presiding officer said security personnel at the polling
station were overwhelmed by the commotion caused by the crowd but they managed
to restore calm.
GRi…/
Madina (Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
Voting was orderly at the Ritz Hotel polling station at
Madina in the Ga Rural District except that a presidential ballot box arrived
without a cover until 11:35 a.m.
When the Ghana News Agency called there at about 11:07,
voters had formed two long queues and were waiting patiently to cast their
votes.
At that time 367 eligible voters had so far cast their
votes.
Miss Comfort Adotey, Presiding Officer, told the Ghana News
Agency that voting delayed until about 8:50 a.m. due to the late arrival of
voting materials.
Mr Samuel Anyemadu-Amaning, an opinion leader, said one
ballot box with serial number CO1010710A being used for the presidential
election arrived without a cover and a large board was being used for the
purpose.
"I called the Electoral Commission some hours ago to
bring a cover but up till now, we have not had it."
However, at about 11:35 a.m., a vehicle of the EC brought in
the cover to allay the fears of electoral officials and voters at the station.
When the GNA called at the Nkwantanang DC JSS polling
station at about 1423, 491 out of the 953 voters had cast their vote. Some
electoral officials however complained of hunger, saying they had not been
given any food.
Mr Jeyfred Obeng Asante, a polling assistant, said there had
been no problems.
A voter, Mr Collins Kusi, told the Ghana News Agency that he
encountered no problem and that everything was very smooth.
Ms Rosina Asante, Presiding Officer at the centre, said a
man who claimed to have come from the Castle and wanted to interfere with the
electoral process was turned away when he refused to identify himself.
GRi…/
Wamfie (Brong Ahafo Region) 07 December 2000
There have been four reported cases of voters using the
identification numbers of others to vote in Thursday's elections at Wamfie in
the Dormaa East constituency.
One of the incidents was reported at the Presbyterian
Primary 'B' polling station and the other three cases at the Roman Catholic
JSS.
Nana Addai Nkrumah, Presiding Officer at the Presby Primary
'B' polling station, who briefed newsmen, said that one Kwaku Yeboah with photo
ID card No. 01955547 was not allowed to vote when it was realised that someone
had used his name to vote.
He said that 344 voters out of the total number of 533
registered voters had cast their votes as at 12.30 p.m.
Nana Nkrumah said the presence of local observers was one
important thing in the elections, describing it as "unprecedented in the
political history of Ghana".
Mr. Jacob Yeboah, Presiding Officer at the RC JSS polling
station, named the victims as Kyeremaah Margaret, ID card No. 01213382; Abenaa
Yeboaah, ID card No. 01968551; and Kwadwo Kumi, ID card No. 01968630.
He said 428 voters out of the total of 799 registered voters
had cast their votes as at 1 p.m.
Mr. M.K. Amoako at the Local Council Hall polling station
also said there had been long queues of voters since morning and described the
turnout as very high.
He said 400 voters out of the total number of 978 registered
voters had cast their vote as at 1.05 p.m.
Representatives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National
Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Convention People's Party (CPP) and their
agents could be seen anxiously waiting to know the outcome of the elections.
The National Reform Party (NRP) was not represented at the
polling stations where the atmosphere was calm and orderly.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
A presiding officer, Mr Kingsley Asare, was alleged to have
allowed two people whose names were not in the Voters' Register to cast their
ballot at the East Santa Maria Number One polling station.
Miss Diana Apedoe, an electoral official at the station,
told the Ghana News Agency that Mr Asare was drunk when he arrived at the
station in the morning and was asked by the other officials not to participate
in the exercise.
She said after a number of people had voted and the place
was calm, she and the other colleagues decided to go and cast their votes at a
different polling station.
According to Miss Apedoe, on her return they saw a crowd of
people around the station.
Upon enquiries she learned that the presiding officer had
written the names of three people in the Voters' Register and allowed two of
them to vote.
She said it was the NDC party agent who challenged the
presiding officer and this resulted in confusion.
Mr Asare then telephoned some soldiers and fled from the
station. The soldiers came took some people away.
At Auntie Aku Market Square, a customs officer, Mr Alex
Yeboah volunteered to guard the station.
Mr Yeboah said he decided to take care of the place after he
had noticed there was no security man around.
" I was going to vote in town when I noticed the
situation and then called my office at the Airport and was allowed to take
charge of the place," he said.
Mr Akwasi Kufuor, Presiding Officer at the centre said the
presence of Mr Yeboah brought orderliness.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
Madam Sherry Kadi, 37, a businesswoman, succeeded in voting
after threatening to end her life if she was not allowed to do so.
Madam Kadi had transferred her vote from Dr Duah Polling
Station at Teshie to Adabraka and arrived at the polling station in a chartered
taxi.
Her name could not be found at her new polling station so
she verified from the old station but it was not there either.
Madam Kadi then threatened to end her life if she was not
allowed to vote: "I will not involve myself in anything that would happen
in this country anymore. It is better to kill myself than to live without being
recognised in my own country. I cannot face the shame, I must die," Madam
Kadi threatened.
Mr Godwin Bortey, the presiding officer, then checked the
forms on which she first registered before the transfer but he could not find
it.
Moved by her utterances, the party agents conferred and
advised the presiding officer, who later found her registration number -
06633907 - and then allowed her to exercise her franchise.
GRi…/
Yendi (Northern Region) 07 December 2000
Alhaji Aliu Mahama, the NPP Presidential running mate,
joined some 600 electorate to cast their votes at the Yendi new market polling
station which has registered 1,141 voters.
Earlier at 8.30 a.m., Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, paramount
chief of Dagbon traditional area, accompanied by his elders and about 200
voters who cast their ballots at the Naa Yakubu polling station.
Ya-Na Andani appealed to Ghanaians to vote peacefully to
ensure a successful general election.
Chief Superintendent of Police, Thomas Doilu, the Yendi
divisional commander, gave assurance that enough security personnel had been
sent to the Yendi and Mion constituencies to ensure peaceful polls.
The turnout for the elections in the Yendi constituency was
very encouraging as long and orderly queues started forming as early as 5 a.m.
GRi…/
Voting peaceful and orderly in Kumasi
Kumasi (Ashanti Region)
Voting for the presidential and parliamentary elections began peacefully and orderly in most polling stations in Kumasi and other constituencies in Ashanti region. Some voters, were at the polling stations as early as 3 a.m., long before voting materials arrived.
At the Mother Smith school polling station at Kyirapatre Estate, in Kumasi, voting began slightly behind schedule and Mr Stephen Addo, the presiding officer, attributed this to late arrival of voting materials and difficulty by election officials to check records.
Nana Owusu Anno Panin III, Kyirapatrehene, who was among the early voters, expressed satisfaction about the orderly and peaceful manner in which the voting was conducted.
Mr. Patrick Botchwey, presiding officer at the Kumasi South Polyclinic, said voting began on time, peacefully and orderly.
Miss Rose Agyeiwaa Asare, polling agent at Atonsu cluster of schools said voting began on time and was also peaceful and orderly.
At the Adum Presby JSS polling station, in the Subin constituency, some voters complained about the slow pace of voting.
Long queues were formed and security personnel had a hectic time controlling voters. No incident had been recorded so far.
At the SUAME L/A School, voting began at 7 a. m., after long queues had been formed and voters were at the neck of polling officers to speed up sorting out of names.
At the more than 10 polling stations visited by the GNA, in the Old Tafo/Suame constituency, voting was peaceful and orderly without any irregularities.
At Mamponteng L/A primary two in the Kwabre constituency, Mr Eric Apraku Antwi, the presiding officer, said materials submitted to them were adequate and voting was going on smoothly.
At the Mamponteng L/A primary school "A", Miss Mary Birasor, the presiding officer, said new registered voters could not find their names in the voters' register and there was confusion as they had to move from one polling station to the other to check for the names.
Mr Busybee Asante, Electoral Officer for Kwabre said there was no incident even though there were no security personnel to maintain peace and order.
The early hours of voting in the Ejisu-Juaben constituency were marked by a massive voter turnout at most polling stations.
Long queues were formed long before voting got underway.
The atmosphere at all the polling centres looked generally calm and orderly as voters patiently waited for their turn to cast their ballot.
Mr Kwadwo Twum-Antwi, the District Returning Officer told the Ghana News Agency that "we do not anticipate any hitches".
He, however, said some voters who transferred their votes to the area but could not locate their names at the new centres where they are supposed to vote, have been streaming into the District Electoral Office with complaints
Mr. Twum-Antwi said every effort was being made to trace their names in the "change of polling station register" to help resolve the problem.
At Tepa in the Ahafo-Ano North district, the district assembly in collaboration with the Electoral Commission has erected a giant scoreboard for recording the results from the 85 polling stations in the constituency. Voting at most of the polling stations began on time, peaceful and orderly without any problem.
In the Kumawu constituency, there were no enumeration forms at the Nkwadum and Woraso L/A primary polling stations.
At Bodomase L/A JSS and primary schools, voter turnout was encouraging and voting proceeded orderly.
GRi../
Presiding and polling assistants desert post
Accra (Greater Accra)
Most presiding officers and polling assistants failed to turn up at their various polling stations in the Odododiodoo constituency on Thursday, delaying the start of voting.
The district electoral officer Mr Nat Quaye said family members and friends had warned the election officials that there would be violence during the voting.
Some polling stations at the Ayalolo 6 and 8 Cluster of schools were unable to open on time because they were awaiting replacements from the district office, said Mr Quaye.
He said, "due to the persistent media reports of possible violence, one boy told me that his father said he did not seek permission from him to be trained as polling assistant so he shouldn't go."
To assist polling centres without sufficient manpower, Mr Quaye said he has despatched a team to fill in the vacancies.
Mr Quaye said some voters complained that the EC deliberately withheld polling assistants to delay voting. Fearful of violence from people waiting in the long queue, Mr Quaye said, " I have asked the police district commander to despatch police personnel to the violence- prone area."
Other problems facing the district electoral officer result from voters failing to cross-check their names during the exhibition exercise. "People have made mistakes and they want to blame the Electoral Commission", Mr Quaye said.
"People are coming in with fictitious photo IDs and because of that don't know which polling centre they are to vote at", he said." When you ask them where they registered they mention a centre which doesn't tally with their IDs."
He stated that some political parties, after receiving the number of voters in a particular area from the EC, registered new voters and issued them with voter IDs. He said, "Some political parties are creating problems for us, some are using deceased's names and issuing cards. Because some of the deceased's names have been removed these people turn up only to realise that those names are not in the register."
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra)
Early voting at Ablekuma Central was hectic but orderly with a long queues forming at many of the polling stations by 5 am.
Among these early voters at the New Abossey Okai polling station were old people most of who brought chairs to sit in the queues.
Polling started about 20 minutes late at this station, which made some the voters impatient and started insulting the officials.
But all was calm when voting got underway with the first voter, a woman, raising her arms into the air in a joyous mood as she drew applause from the other voters.
At the Odorkor Police Church polling centre a lady was not allowed to vote because her name was not in the register, even though her number was there. Mr Charles B. Agborko, the Returning Officer expressed satisfaction with the trend of affairs so far.
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 Dec. 2000
At the Bethel polling station at Dansoman in the Ablekuma South Constituency where voting had not started by 1100 because the presiding officer was not available, the Electoral Commissioner, Dr Afari-Gyan, assured voters that he would make sure that they vote.
Voters said the presiding officer left the polling station around 0645 hours claiming that he had left some documents at the constituency collation centre. When Dr. Afari-Gyan arrived at the polling station, there was total confusion, as voters did not know what to do.
He explained that those who would be in the queue before 1700 hours would be allowed to vote. "EC officials will make sure that the rules and regulations governing the elections would be enforced here," he said.
Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, EC Director of Election, deputised as the presiding officer while arrangements were being made to get a team from EC headquarters to take over.
GRi../
Man arrested at Dansoman for impersonation
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
Mr George Amakye Yeboah, 42, was on Thursday arrested by the Dansoman Police for voting with two separate Photo ID cards.
He had his picture on both cards, but with different names. One had Kofi Yeboah with the number C031714 aged 41, while the other bore the name George Amakye Yeboah with the number C03178 aged 42 years.
He voted at two different stations at Tunga. The GNA learnt that someone who saw him voting at both places reported him. Mr Yeboah told the Dansoman police that he registered in 1996 and voted at Osiem in the Eastern region. During the last registration exercise he could not trace his ID card, so he registered again in Accra using a different name from that used at Osiem.
He claimed that later, he found the original card and transferred his vote to Dansoman hence the two cards. The Dansoman Police said they are investigating further and would charge Yeboah for court.
Another voter Comfort Gyan with registration number C040204 was arrested at Sakumo Tso Shishi polling station at Bukom for instructing voters whom to vote for.
Meanwhile, nine registered voters with thumbprint cards have cast their votes in Ga North Constituency as at 1200. All the nine voted at the Ogbojo DC polling station.
Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, EC Chairman, who visited some polling stations in the Odododiodio, Ablekuma South and the Ga North Constituencies, appealed to electoral officials to work above reproach. He said the success of the polls depends on the performance of electoral officials, party agents and the electorate.
Dr Afari-Gyan also advised against generalisation of minor irregularities that might occur at some polling stations saying, " that could not be used as a general view of the polls".
GRi../
Elections Savelugu
Savelugu (Northern Region)
Voting commenced in the Savelugu constituency of the Northern Region without any hitches. As early as 0600 hours, voters had already formed queues at the various poling stations awaiting the arrival of electoral officials with ballot materials.
Voting started at exactly 0700 hours Six of the 20 polling stations in the constituency the GNA visited had so far not registered incidents.
The townsfolk were very enthusiastic about exercising their franchise, especially those doing so for the first time. The presiding officer at the Savelugu JSS polling station, Mr Stephen Semordzi told the GNA that the issue of the voters ID cards would not disrupt the elections because most eligible voters possess Photo ID cards.
He said those with thumb printed ID cards are isolated cases which will not warrant trouble making by any party agents since "everyone knows everyone" in the constituency. He said so far, no one with a thumb-printed ID had shown up to vote.
Presiding officers at other polling stations the GNA visited echoed the same sentiments, but said they would give preference to those with photo ID cards before attending to those without one.
Madam Agartha Addo, of the coalition of domestic election observers, said so far, polling has been transparent. Party agents agreed with her.
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 Dec. 2000
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.
GRi../
Asantehene votes at Manhyia
Kumasi (Ashanti Region)
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, voted at the Kumasi Traditional Council office "A" polling station at Manhyia in Kumasi.
The Asantehene, accompanied by a retinue of chiefs and courtiers, was received on arrival at the station by Mr Isaac K. Boateng, Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), and Professor Ernest Dwumor, member of the EC in-charge of Ashanti.
After the Asantehene cast his ballot, the crowd, which gathered at the polling station and those who had queued for their turn to vote, clapped, cheered and shouted "King Solomon, King Solomon".
Nana Afua Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, the Asantehemaa, who voted at the Kumasi Traditional Council office "B" polling station, was also cheered by the crowd there.
Mr George Kumah, Presiding Officer for Kumasi Traditional Council "B" polling station, told the press that as at 9.15 a. m. when the Asantehene cast his vote, 272 people had voted.
Mr Boateng said voting has generally been peaceful, except few places where some voters were impatient because the polling agents delayed in finding their names in the voters' register.
Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Member of Parliament for Manhyia, voted at the K.O. Methodist School polling station.
Visits to Bantama, Ashanti New town, Adum and other places By the GNA, indicate that voting is proceeding peacefully and devoid of incidents.
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 Dec. 2000
Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), on Thursday asked party agents, polling assistants and presiding officers to be circumspect in their work for effective and efficient voting.
As part of his tour of the Odododiodio Constituency, Dr Afari-Gyan observed that some of the presiding officers were not complying with electoral rules and advised them to check all irregularities.
Dr Afari-Gyan also advised the polling assistants to take the ballot papers one after the other to avoid the mistake of giving more than one to a voter.
At Salaga Taxi rank within the constituency, the presiding officer failed to turn up and his assistant, Michael Acquaye, took over.
At the Sakumo Tsoshishi polling station at Bukom, an 18-year-old girl whose age was recorded as 14 in the register but had a genuine voter ID card bearing her name and other details, was allowed to vote by the commissioner. The commissioner explained that the mistake in the age might have been the fault of the EC.
He said: "Nobody would have registered a 14-year-old".
Other stations visited include Martin de Porres Preparatory School at Ablekuma South where voting was going on smoothly.
GRi../
Accra (Greater 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.
A 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.
More../
Mills casts ballot, says "I'll win."
Legon (Greater Accra)
Vice President John Evans Atta Mills, who is the presidential candidate for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), cast his vote at the Legon Hall polling station on Thursday and said he will win the polls.
Prof. Mills, wearing a white long-sleeve shirt over a dark pair of trousers, folded his ballot paper, showed it to enthusiastic voters in a long and winding queue and took a bow before dropping it in the box.
"Absolutely, we'll win," Mills said when asked about his prediction of the outcome of the keenly contested polls. Prof. Mills said he was impressed with the high turnout and the orderly manner of the process and added "I hope it will be like this at all the other places."
He said the enthusiasm of voters is the reflection of the awareness among Ghanaians of the need to build on the evolving democracy.
"I think we've done all that we can to build our democracy. It is now the responsibility of all to contribute to make it stronger," Mills said.
"No way, we'll not, I mean never, revert to the olden days," Mills declared, when asked about the possibility of Ghana falling back.
He said the greatest challenge that the next government will face is to improve the economy in order to brighten the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.
Prof. Mills made reference to President Jerry Rawlings' nation-wide broadcast on Wednesday night and said it contained important issues that everyone should reflect on. "We need to move together as one people with a common destiny."
Prof. Mills also commented on the opposition's theme in the campaign for change saying: "I don't know what actually they want. Is it change just for the sake of it, or is it change in the face of leadership or policy?"
The Vice President restated that he would accept in good faith the outcome of the polls as the "will of the people.
"But," he quickly added, "it must be free, transparent and fair".
More../
Professor Hagan, Naadu Mills cast vote at the same
polling station
Legon (Greater Accra)
A confident Professor George Panyin Hagan, presidential candidate of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), enjoyed voting on Thursday morning. He took 10 minutes to do it.
At 08.38 hours, Prof. Hagan appeared at the Sarbah Hall polling station number 861 in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency to cast his vote.
His wife, Dr. Mrs Maria Hagan and a party executive accompanied him. Amidst cheers, the voters in the long queue pushed him to the front to vote. "The process is quite nervous but there is really nothing to be anxious about," he told journalists.
He said he was sure of winning in first round. In the event of a second round, he said, "I am sure I will be one of the two candidates to qualify for the re-run."
Prof. Hagan said if there is run-off he was sure of the support of all the five political parties that get eliminated in Thursday's voting.
"I have very good working relationship with all the political parties, and I believe they will support me if there should be a second round," he said. "I have personally had informal talks with Mr. Goosie Tanoh, presidential candidate of the National Reform Party (NRP) to collaborate in the event of a second round."
Prof. Hagan said he is ready to accept the outcome of the elections "provided the process is not unduly abused."
"There will be no moral justification for anybody to challenge the final results of this election if there is no evidence of abuse of the process," he said.
Prof. Hagan reiterated the CPP's commitment to free education if it comes to power, saying "from our socialist point of view, we believe that the 60 per cent Ghanaians who are below the poverty line can not afford the education of their wards and need to be given absolute assistance."
Mrs. Hagan voted at Akuafo hall polling station, a few minutes after her husband had cast his vote.
Prior to Prof. Hagan's appearance, Mrs Naadu Mills, wife of Vice President Professor John Atta Mills voted at the same station at 07.25 hours.
She joined the long queue until the party agents and voters urged her to go to the front of the queue and cast her vote. Mrs. Mills finished voting by 07.35 hours and left immediately. Meanwhile, voting at the station began five minutes late although all was set as at 06.45 hour.
When the GNA got to the scene, both parliamentary and presidential ballot boxes and polling booths were in place. All the party agents, a police officer and electoral officials were seated.
Mr. Chris Koomson, the presiding officer at that station, told the GNA that the five minutes delay was due to the absence of the parliamentary polling assistant.
"Voters who transferred their votes from other polling stations to this place are supposed to also check their names at our secretariat here before joining the queue but some have not done that," he said.
Because the parliamentary polling assistant failed to appear on time, the first 10 voters within the first 12 minutes received both presidential and parliamentary ballot papers from the presidential polling assistant.
Later another officer from the Electoral Commission volunteered to assist. Professor Hagan was born in Accra on August 7, 1938.
He attended St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Accra for his Ordinary Level Certificate and continued to St Augustine's College at Cape Coast for the GCE Advanced Level course.
Prof. Hagan holds B.A. (Hons) in Philosophy and M.A. in African Studies from University of Ghana and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology from Oxford University, United Kingdom.
He has worked in various capacities since 1962. He was the Welfare Officer of the Scholarship Secretariat from 1962 to 1964, Lecturer and Research Fellow, University of Ghana, 1968, Senior Lecturer, 1978, Associate Professor, 1994, and Director of African Studies 1997/98.
He has also served on a number of University Committees including the Academic Board, Task Force on Student Feeding, Committee on the Disabled and the Dean of Students.
The CPP presidential candidate has served on a number of state boards, including State Construction Corporation, Chairman Academic Committee of National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), member Board of Governors of Aquinas and Augustine Secondary Schools.
He is also a member of the Justice and Peace Committee of the Catholic Church of Ghana. He was a representative of Ghana at UNESCO conference on Human Rights, member of the Ghana National anti-Apartheid Committee, member of the Board of Directors of the National Theatre and Adviser to the National Catholic Secretariat and the Christian Council on Education Reforms.
Prof. Hagan was also a presidential aspirant of the National Independence Party in 1992. He is married to Maria, an eye specialist and Director of the National Eye Care Unit who was born on June 21, 1940.
More../
Goosie hopes to win 35 per cent
Accra (Greater Accra)
Casting his vote at the Avenor polling station near his home Thursday morning, Mr Goosie Tanoh, presidential candidate of the National Reform Party (NRP), maintained that his party will take 35 per cent of the popular votes in the presidential election.
Mr Tanoh, who leads the breakaway group of the ruling party, the National Democratic Party (NDC), appeared at the polling station at 0950 hours, about 500 meters away from his home. His wife Karen accompanied him. It took them less than five minutes to go through the exercise.
Mr Tanoh said he was satisfied with the way voting was being carried out at Avenor in the Krowor constituency. There are about 860 are registered voters at the polling station. One hundred and ninety people had already voted before Mr Tanoh got there.
Mr Tanoh, a lawyer, was a leading member of the NDC until 1999 when he and other members broke away because they disagreed with NDC policies. The breakaway group formed the NRP to contest the presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
Mr. Joseph Teye Ossom, the presiding officer, told the GNA that the exercise started on time and that the turnout was quite impressive.
He said apart an incident in which a gentlemen, who offered to give him a supplementary list of registered voters for use by the station, everything was fine.
Mr. Ossom said he declined the offer and the gentleman, who refused to give his name or his party, left peacefully.
At the Holy Child nursery polling station at the Sakumono estate voting proceeded smoothly even though the station had a long queue.
The polling station at Baatsonaa had a short queue.The presiding officer complained that the electoral commission had not provided him with arrest forms and rules to guide him and his assistants and party agents in their work.
More../
Wereko-Brobby votes and predicts victory for UGM
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 December 2000
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.
More../
John Mahama casts vote at Bole
Bole (Northern Region)
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.
More../
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 Dec. 2000
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.
When voters in the two long queues heard of his arrival, they craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the oldest presidential candidate, whose key word, "domestication," has become a household word in the capital.
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.
GRi../