108,080 to vote in two constituencies in Bolgatanga

By Fatima Anafu Astanga
Bolgatanga, Nov.16, GNA - There are 152 polling stations in the Bolgatanga East and Bolgatanga Central Constituencies in the Upper East Region from where 108,080 registered voters are expected to vote in the Presidential and Parliamentary elections on December 7.

At the Bolgatanga East Constituency, which was carved from the then Bolgatanga Constituency in 2012, about 20,134,000 registered voters are expected to vote from 33 polling stations, an increased number from the previous 29 polling stations.

While 87,946 people are also expected to vote at the Bolgatanga Central Constituency from 119 polling stations from a previous number of 112 polling stations.

The numbers of polling stations in both constituencies were increased to reduce long queues and avoid voting into the night.

Mr Oscar Apemah, acting Upper East Deputy Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga.

On preparedness of the EC for the elections, the acting Deputy Regional Commissioner said all was set and ballot papers were ready for the voting day.

For the Bolgatanga East Constituency, Dr Dominic Ayine of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who is the Deputy Attorney General, is the incumbent Member of Parliament and is being contested by Dr Emmanuel Abugri Aboole of the National Patriotic Party(NPP), and Mr Baba Starling Ayinenongma of the Progressive People's Party, in the December 7 parliamentary election.

Records from EC office in the Region show that the Bolgatanga Central has however witnessed changes in the political mantra since 1992.

Mr Patrick Akake of the NDC won the seat to become the Member of Parliament (MP) but lost in the 1996 election to Mr Simon Anyoa Abingya.

In the year 2000, Mr David Apasera of the People's National Congress (PNC) whisked the parliamentary the seat for a four-year term and in the 2004, Mr Opam Akuribire of the NDC emerged winner for the seat until 2012.

The Bolgatanga Central Constituency in the 2016 elections would be keenly contested by new people in the political race, they are Mr Issac Adongo, an Accountant who is standing on the ticket of the NDC, Mr Thomas Akurugu,a Chartered Accountant, standing for the People's National Congress (PNC), Ms Latifa Abdul Rahman, for the CPP and Mr Rex Asanga, a development worker, for the National Patriotic Party (NPP).

GNA