Voting begins in Ghana as president Mahama runs for second term

Record ID: 76176

  • Title: Voting begins in Ghana as president Mahama runs for second term
  • Date: 7th December 2016
  • Summary: TAFO, GHANA (DECEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) QUEUE OF VOTERS VOTERS REGISTERING TO VOTE AT POLLING STATION VOTERS QUEUING AT REGISTRATION DESK LIST OF CANDIDATES VOTER PUTTING BALLOT IN BOX (SOUNDBITE) (English) ADUM TWUMWAAH MERCY SAYING: "Between my favourites, presidents comes, everything, every bad thing going on in the country would change and jobs will come so I hope, I am sure that it will come to pass if that person comes soon." VARIOUS OF POLLING STAFF CHECKING VOTER IDENTITIES WITH ELECTRONIC DEVICE BALLOT BOX VOTER LEAVING BOOTH BALLOT BOX READING (English): "ABUAKWA SOUTH, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2016" VOTERS QUEUING (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOE KINSLEY OWARI SAYING: "This has got out of hand so we need to elect a new president who will be for the people, the heart of the people will be at his heart, very caring, very tolerant, incorruptible president and a president who will make sure money that belongs to the state if you squander them you will be punished." VOTER PUTTING BALLOT IN BOX QUEUE OF VOTERS NIMA, ACCRA, GHANA (DECEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SITTING DOWN WAITING TO VOTE VOTER REGISTRATION PAPERS MAN VOTING BALLOT IN BOX (SOUNDBITE) (English) NYAKOLANU ALEX, SAYING: "I am a graduate and am very happy to partake in this election. It's one of the toughest election in Ghana and any party as to whether NPP or NDC, CPP, any party, that comes out to win this election we are all going to support that party irrespective of whether we are that party or not so our main concern is for that party to solve the employment sector." PEOPLE WAITING TO VOTE PEOPLE TAKING REGISTRATION PAPERS MAN PUTTING FINGER ON MACHINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE, VOICE SAYING (English): 'Verified' (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL TEI NARH, SAYING: "I work with electricity, I am a fridge and air-conditioning mechanic so when light bills goes up it affects my work very very much so am very concern about that side that's why I also want to change governments." MAN PUTTING BALLOT IN BOX
  • Embargoed: 22nd December 2016 09:38
  • Keywords: Ghana election vote polls government Accra Tafo President John Mahama
  • Location: TAFO / NIMA, ACCRA, GHANA
  • City: TAFO / NIMA, ACCRA, GHANA
  • Country: Ghana
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015BVWY87
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Long queues formed at voting stations in Ghana on Wednesday (Wednesday 7) as President John Mahama ran for a second and final term.
    The election is being held against a backdrop of an economy that has slowed sharply since he took power.
    There have been few opinion polls but most political analysts say the vote could be close, with a strong challenge from opposition leader and former foreign minister Nana Akufo-Addo.
    The leader of the New Patriotic Party narrowly lost to Mahama in the last election.
    Mahama on Tuesday (December 6) accused Akufo-Addo of deliberately undermining confidence in the voting process.
    Ghana is held up as a beacon of democracy in West Africa with a track record of peaceful elections.
    Twice since 2000, voters have rejected the government of the day.
    Some voters queued overnight to cast their ballots in a show of enthusiasm for a hotly-contested vote.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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