No panic travelling because of elections

In spite of speculations that this year's elections will be violent due to the high tension, there are no indications of panic travelling out of the country through the Kotoka International Airport.

The passenger movement of both arrivals and departures at the airport does not show any increase of departures.

Most departing passengers the GNA spoke to said they did not think there would be violence during and after the elections. They said they were travelling out because there was the need for it.

Mr Mat Kamara, a 32-year-old Ghanaian businessman, said he is leaving the country for business transactions and not fleeing the country. "After all, there are still people in the country to vote. Do you think they do not value their lives?" he asked.

Another Ghanaian, Mr Osei Owusu, a trader from Kantamanto, said he was going to buy goods for the Christmas and that he does not care about the vote because his vote would not make any difference.

Most of the travellers were of the view that Ghanaians are peace-loving people and would be able to go through the elections without any violence.

Miss Josie Ghartey, a Doctor at the Trust Hospital, Accra, who arrived from South Africa on Tuesday, said she is eagerly waiting to cast her vote. "This is my country, I will like to be here during the election whatever the cost," she said.

Another passenger, Ibrahim Napuli of the National AIDS Control Programme in Accra said he could not vote during the last elections and would like to vote this time.

Airline officials who want to remain anonymous said that December is a peak season for arrivals and that there have not been any significant difference in the movement of passengers out of the country as compared to the same period last year.