Elections in most electoral areas in WR fail to take off

Sekondi, Dec. 30, GNA - The District Assembly and Unit Committee elections scheduled to take place on Thursday failed to take off in several parts of the Western Region.

It was due to the non arrival of ballot papers and voting materials. Mr Steve Opoku-Mensah, Western Regional Electoral Officer, told the GN= A on Thursday that areas which were fortunate to have their voting materials ready included parts of Takoradi, Shama District, Mpohor Wassa East, Preste= a Huni Valley, Amenfi East and Ahanta West

He said voting would be able to take place in only five out of 27 electoral areas in Amenfi East. Voting would take place on Friday at Bibiani. A visit to some polling stations in central Takoradi by the GNA showed that only few people had cast their votes while at some stations the presiding officers were idle.

At the Bethel Methodist polling station only six people had cast their votes as at 0900 hours while the Presbyterian station had recorded 26 at 1000 hours. The Western Region has 544 electoral areas which are being competed fo= r by 1,555 candidates including 86 females at the District Assembly level, an= d 4,741 aspirants including 447 women for the Unit Committee level.