Voters Endure Harmattan To Vote Early In Upper West

Determined voters in the Wa Central Constituency defied the early cold that ushers in the harmattan to form long queues to select who would occupy the Flagstaff House for the next four years and their legislator.

Seven Presidential candidates representing six Political Parties and an Independent Candidate are contesting the Presidential Elections: Convention People’s Party (CPP); National Democratic Party (NDP); National Democratic Congress (NDC); Progressive People’s Party (PPP); New Patriotic Party (NPP) and People's National Convention (PNC).

President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC, who is seeking a second-term, is being challenged by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP, Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the CPP, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the PPP; Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the NDP, Dr Edward Mahama of the PNC and Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, the Independent Candidate.

Many of the Muslims voters, returned from the mosques after the dawn prayers, to form queues at the polling in wait of the electoral officials to come and conduct affairs.

Voting generally started at 0730 hours.

Some of the voters, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, (GNA) said they came early to avoid the usual rush, while others also said they wanted to cast their votes early so they could return to their businesses.

GNA reporters at Lawra and Nandom, as well as Gwollu and Tumu have also reported that long queues were spotted in many of the polling stations as early 0400 hours.

Some Voters said they were going back to their farms to take care of the food crops, especially maize, which were on stocks against bush fires.

Meanwhile, some eligible voters were seen massing up at the lorry stations and other spots ready to board buses to their constituencies to vote.