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Election violence: One Person Shot Dead At Polling Station in Ghana presidential Election
Ghana’s general electione have taken a violent turn, with one person fatally shot and another wounded at a polling station in Nyankpala.
The incident occurred when an opposition candidate attempted to file a complaint, but he was stopped by the ruling party’s supporters.
Four men have been arrested in connection with the shooting, and soldiers have been deployed to the area to restore calm.
Despite this incident, voting has been peaceful in other parts of the country, with many Ghanaians queuing up before dawn to cast their ballots.
The economy is a major concern for voters, with Ghana facing a debt crisis and high living costs.
The election marks the end of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s two terms in office, and voters will choose between former President John Mahama and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, among others.
If Bawumia wins, he will become Ghana’s first Muslim leader.
Elsewhere election day has been peacefully conducted, with some Ghanaians queuing before dawn to make sure they cast their ballots.
A debt crisis and high living costs mean the economy is uppermost in the minds of many voters.
The West African nation is guaranteed a new president as Nana Akufo-Addo steps down after reaching the official limit of two terms in office.
But he could be replaced with a familiar face, if former President John Mahama succeeds in his comeback attempt for the NDC party, BBC reports.
His main challenger is expected to be Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, who would become the country’s first Muslim leader if he wins for the governing NPP party.
Other candidates include Nana Kwame Bediako, a businessman popular with young voters and Alan Kyerematen, who defected from the ruling NPP party last year.
Close to 19 million Ghanaians are registered to vote.
Despite Ghana recently bringing in tougher legislation to drive up the numbers of women in frontline politics, only one woman is in the running to become president – Nana Akosua Sarpong Frimpomaa of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
The only other female presidential candidate in this election – Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party – died in October. Yet her name will still be listed on ballot papers because the candidate chosen to succeed her was disqualified.
Saturday’s general election also sees voters in 275 constituencies across the country choosing their members of parliament.
Since the return of multi-party politics to Ghana in 1992, only candidates from either the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) have won the presidency.
No party has ever won more than two consecutive terms in power.
Voters have a 10-hour window on Saturday to cast their ballots – 07:00-17:00 GMT.
Ghana’s land borders have been closed until Sunday evening, in a move that correspondents describe as unusual.
Election results are set to be announced within three days.
In order to win in the first round, a presidential candidate must gain more than 50% of the vote. Failing that, the top two contenders will enter a run-off vote to take place by the end of December.
Voting for the first time, 18-year-old Serwaa Yeboah Joshebeth told the BBC “it is important for you to vote to choose the best for your country”.
The recent graduate wants to see more job opportunities, “not for me alone but for others who need them [too].”
Kojo Yeboah, 95, agrees.
“The next leader must focus on education and jobs for the youth,” the retired university worker told the BBC outside a polling booth in the city of Kumasi.
“I benefit from stipends from the state at my age already,” he adds.
As campaigns came to a close on Friday, Bawumia said of his main rival: “What is clear is that notwithstanding the challenges we’ve had, we have performed better than the government of John Dramani Mahama.”
While Mahama told supporters “it is a choice between the Ghana we have today and the Ghana we want together. A Ghana of opportunity, prosperity, and justice for all.”
Ghanaians have been hit particularly hard by inflation in recent years, which reached a peak of 54.1% in 2022. Although it has since come down, many thousands of people have been pushed into poverty and living standards have suffered, says the World Bank.
That same year, Ghana defaulted on its debt repayments and the government is still in lengthy negotiations with international lenders to try and restructure the loans.
News
Insecurity! Troops arrest Bello Turji’s ally Bako, silence 211 terrorists in 7 days
A suspected terrorist has been nabbed by the troops in the North West theatre of operation.
The arrested high profile and notorious terrorist was identified as Bako Wurgi. The terror leader is linked to the murder of the Sokoto Monarch and a staunch ally of wanted high profile terrorist Bello Turji’s.
In a statement made available to journalists on Friday in Abuja, the Defence Director Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba said the arrested terrorist leader, Bako Wurgi, eventually succumbed to gun shot injuries sustained during the fire fight.
According to General Buba, the terrorist leader Wurgi provided valuable intelligence to support troops operations before he eventually passed on.
General Buba also disclosed that another two high profile terrorists identified as Hamisu Sale (aka Master) and Abubakar Muhammad were arrested during seperate operations conducted in North Central theatre of operation.
In his words, the duo are cooperating and providing valuable intelligence on the terror network.
The DHQ spokesman was deadpan when he said that, “Troops are on high alert and have increased readiness to protect the country from further terrorist aggression, particularly during the yuletide.
Accordingly, robust operations targeted at terrorist leadership are being conducted across the various theatres of operations.”
He disclosed that during the week under review, troops neutralised 212 and arrested 272 persons.
The DHQ publicist informed that troops recovered 247 assorted weapons and 6,174 assorted ammunition.
Giving the breakdown, General Buba said 2 RPG UXO4, 110 AK47 rifles, 56 fabricated rifles, 36 dane guns and 2 FN rifles were recovered during the week under review.
Others include, 2 baretta pistols, 15 locally made pistols, 2 revolver pistols, 12 pump action guns, 2 double barrel guns, one single barrel gun, one RPG bomb, one RPG tube, 2 exploded RPG chargers, one PKM link, one link of GPMG and 70 AK47 magazines.
Also recovered are 3,235 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,583 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 130 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo, 400 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 92 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 107 rounds of 9mm ammo, 311 live cartridges, one FN magazine, 3 bandoliers, 5 baofeng radios, 8 vehicles, 51 motorcycles and 103 mobile phones amongst other items.
News
Speaker Abbas Refutes Claims of Outstanding Land Payment to FCTA
By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has clarified reports alleging that his land title in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was revoked due to unpaid dues.
In a press statement issued on December 20, 2024, the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, affirmed that Speaker Abbas owns only one land title in the FCT and had fully settled the required payment in October 2024. This payment was made promptly after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) issued public notices in the newspapers regarding outstanding obligations.
The Speaker described the inclusion of his name among defaulters as an error on the part of the FCTA and urged the agency to exercise greater caution in managing such matters.
He also called on the media to verify facts thoroughly before publishing reports, cautioning against the dissemination of misleading information that could tarnish his reputation.
The Speaker therefore appealed for restraint in circulating inaccurate.
News
Wike gives final ultimatum to land owners to pay for C-of-O
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has given owners of the 762 plots of land in Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone, A10, Abuja, a fresh two-week ultimatum to pay for their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) or risk final revocation of their allocations.
According to a statement on Friday, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the FCT Minister reiterated that the primary interest was not for people to lose their lands, but to get them to make necessary payments to the government.
The statement read: “It should be recalled that on October 5, 2024, list of 3,273 allottees/title holders that were yet to pay for their C-of-O were published. They were offered two weeks to pay their bills or lose their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) titles. Out of the 3,273, a total of 2,511 complied, leaving 762.
Yesterday, notice of withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of the 762 defaulters was published.
“Since then, many of the affected allottees have offered to pay, and since the primary aim of the government is to ensure payment, a two weeks grace has been given.
“Consequently, the 762 allottees and the 614 others with outstanding payment on C-of-O will have till January 3, 2025 to pay, or have their R-of-O titles withdrawn, pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978.
After January 3, 2025, there will be no further extension and withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of defaulters will be final.”
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