Chief and elders petition Minister

Takoradi, Oct 18, GNA - The chief and elders of Ellenda in the Jomoro District have appealed to the Minister of Interior to investigate incidents that led to disruption of voting during the district level elections at one of the polling stations at Tikobo Number One electoral area on September 26.

They alleged that while voting was going on smoothly, armed soldiers arrived at polling station number A011805 at Ellenda and fired warning shots.

This scared voters as well as election officers who run away, thus bringing voting to an abrupt end at 1230 hours.

These were contained in a petition to the Minster and signed by Nana Kyeku Anyimiah IV, Chief of Ellenda and four of his elders. The petition said the action of the soldiers was unwarranted since there was a security man at the polling station to ensure law and order. Before the incident, two armed soldiers arrived at the station in the company of the District Superintendent of Police.

The petition said when the Presiding Officer drew their attention to the fact that their posture was scaring away voters they left. However, within 15 minutes, three armed soldiers were led to the station, allegedly by one Ndede Siah, a citizen of Tikobo Number One. It said when the incident was reported to Mr. Martin Nyamekeh, District Chief Executive, he was said to have told the chiefs that Bonyere, Tikobo Number One, Ellenda and Ellubo were potential "trouble spots" hence the decision to send soldiers to these areas. They were however not ordered to give warning shots when there was law and order at the polling station.

Nana Anyimiah and his elders said they believed that the action of the soldiers was orchestrated by a group of people to disrupt voting to give advantage to one of the two contestants and called for investigations into the incident.

Mr. Martin Ackah, the DCE for Jomoro, told the Ghana News Agency on telephone that although it became necessary to send soldiers to the polling station to ensure law and order, they overreacted by firing "too many warning shots".

He said there were two candidates, one coming from Ellenda and the other from Tikobo Number One.

Mr Ackah alleged that the people of Ellenda, eager to see their man win the election, encouraged minors to vote and when the security personnel at the station stood against this the people started to threaten her. Mr Ackah said three soldiers were dispatched to the polling station to ensure peaceful voting but they overreacted. The incumbent Assembly Member, Mr Ernest Coffie of Tikobo Number One won the election.