Accra streets deserted as Ghana votes

Accra streets were on Sunday December 7 deserted as Ghanaians went to the polls to elect a President and 230 Legislators for the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic in Election 2008.

The usually heavy traffic that sees vehicles tailgating was absent. GNA counted only seven moving vehicles as it drove from the Ministries in Accra through Tudu to the Kojo Thompson road in the Central Business District.

Mr Percy Gyan, a Trotro Driver who plies between Teshie and Tema Station in Accra, said he had made only one trip by 1145 hours when GNA visited the Tema Station, adding that on a normal Sunday because of the few vehicles that used to operate, he would have made two or three trips.

“As you can see the few vehicles here have no passengers. I will have to wait for a long time before I will get my full load. Everybody has gone to vote. I will go and vote later,” he said.

There was virtually no vehicular traffic when GNA drove through Adabraka, Kokomlemle, New Town, Pig Farm, Kawokudi to Cantonments Post Office. Even though the traffic lights at the Akuafo Intersection were not working, traffic was flowing smoothly.

At the Cantonments Post Office Polling Centre of the Dade Kotopon Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, there was a long queue of voters waiting patiently to cast their votes. The Presiding Officer, Mr Jonathan Akuettey Abbey said 200 out of the 1,141 voters on the register had cast their ballot at 1130 hours when GNA visited.

He said he had not encountered any problem. “Initially, the transfer voters list was not available so I told them to go and come in 30 minutes time; but soon after, the list was brought and they were served. Voting started at 0700 hours prompt,” he said.

Party agents of the Democratic People's Party (DPP); National Democratic Congress (NDC); Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) were present. They all said everything was moving according to plan. The Police and Ghana National Fire Service provided security.