Confusion Rocks Special Voting in Bolga Central 

The Upper East Region has a voter population of 647,824. Out of this number, 8,045 are taking part in today's special voting exercise which is taking place in all the designated polling centers across the region.  

Today's voting exercise has been peaceful despite some isolated cases that had to do with the eligibility of voters and the fact that some security personnel were not able to trace their names in the voting list. 

As some news reports suggest, most names were missing from the list. 

The news team first visited the Bolgatanga Regional House of Chiefs which is the main polling station for Bolga Central Constituency. 

There was quite a long queue, partly because the center has the highest number of voters.  

The electoral materials and officers arrived before 5:30 am.  

Nonetheless, some of the voters were present before the said time as a measure to cast their vote early enough to go about their normal duties. 

As at 7: 58am, 60 people had already cast their vote.  

The process was calm and peaceful until confusion ensued between some party agents and the EC officials. 

The bone of contention was that they did not understand why the EC should allow police recruits stationed at the Pwalugu Police Public Safety Training School in the Talensi District to vote at the centre.  

They argued why the recruits were not allowed to vote in the Talensi constituency, hence their resolve to prevent them from voting till the EC provides concrete reasons why they should take part in the exercise. 

They said once they have not passed out from the training school, they are not qualified to be included in the voting list as security personnel and besides they possess no prove of voter transfer.  

For the intervention of the police, the situation would have degenerated into something else because the party agents particularly the NPP and the CPP were not convinced by the explanation given by the officials.  

After careful deliberation, it was agreed that all the 703 recruits returned back to their depot for the issue to be resolved later. 

Calm was however restored. 

At the Bolga East polling centre, where there are 235 special voters, the exercise took place at the Catholic Social Centre at Zuarungu. 

As at 10:31 am, 78 people had voted peacefully.  

Meanwhile, the special voting took off smoothly in the Bongo constituency. 

Turnout was generally low in the morning but with time people trooped in to cast their ballot. 

Some few security personnel from the military, police, prisons and fire service were spotted casting their votes. 

As at 12:30pm, 392 eligible voters had cast their ballot. In all 553 eligible voters are expected to cast their ballot in the constituency. 

So far the exercise has not been marred with challenges with regards to the electoral machines. 

All those who voted did so peacefully with the exception of three persons including   two EC officials that could not find their names in the voting list. 

Generally the exercise had been smooth and peaceful. 

Four aspirants are battling for the Bongo seat. 

NDC- Edward Bawa, NPP-Gabriel Agana, PPP-George Afari and CPP-Ebenezer Ayambire. 

Meanwhile, the exercise is going on smoothly in the Bawku West, Bawku Municipal, Pusiga, Garu, Tempane and Binduri without any hitch.

GBC