Millions of Ghanaians headed to the polls on Saturday for the presidential election, after what many saw as the West African country's worst economic crisis in a generation dominated the election campaign.
Voting began at 7 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m., with early results expected late Saturday. The first official results are expected to be announced by Tuesday.
Twelve candidates are vying to take over the baton from Nana Akufo-Addo. The main challengers are Deputy Leader Mahamudu Bawumia of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Two fringe candidates, former trade and industry minister Alan Kyerematen and businessman Nana Bediako, are also running as independents.
Bawumia, 61, a former deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana, served two terms alongside the incumbent after being first elected in 2016 and 2020. In both cases, Mr. Mahama, 66, was leading the opposition.
After voting in the northern town of Bole, Mr Mahama praised the smooth electoral process and expressed confidence in his victory.
“It wasn't clear in other elections,” he told reporters. “But this election, we all know where the election is going.”
To win an election, a candidate must receive more than half of the votes cast. If that doesn't happen, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the second round. Some are predicting a runoff could occur because of the two minor candidates, but not everyone is convinced.
“My contention is that if the election goes to a runoff, it's not because of these people, it's not their fault,” said Joshua Zart, a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana. .
The stakes are high. Experts say that while Akufo-Addo has been spectacularly successful in handling the coronavirus pandemic and introducing the free high school education policy, he has disappointed the public in many other ways. Once one of the region's economic powers and a darling of the international community, Ghana has struggled in recent years with high public debt, a weak local currency and high inflation. The cost of living crisis is severely impacting a wide range of the population, with one in five people living in poverty. Presidential projects – controversial projects and more $400 million cathedral project What remains of it as a crater is also causing anger.
This has led to considerable voter apathy and pessimism, especially among young people in Accra and parts of the Western and Central regions. There is also a sense of pessimism about the future among voters.
“The current state of the country is such that we can't lift a finger in the direction we want to go,” said Mary Ofori, a mother of two who sells groceries at Accra's Kantamanto market and is voting for Mahama. spoke. “Neither side seems to be leading us in the right direction.”
Eva, a 45-year-old pesticide and aerosol distributor, refused to blame the government, even though she acknowledged the economic situation was poor.
“This is a Bible prophecy for these difficult times,” Eva said, adding that she voted for him after receiving divine assurance of Bawumia's victory. “Economic downturn is not just a Ghanaian problem, it is a global problem.”
Both candidates are from the north, but if Bawumia wins, he will have the first Muslim president since 1992 in a country where three-quarters of the population is Christian.
Mahama, who held the position from 2012 to 2017, hopes to become the first president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Mr Mahama is ahead of Mr Bawumia in some opinion polls, but the ruling party still insists it will easily win the election.
“Playing against opponents who have given us a chance before gives us confidence,” said Haruna Mohamed, deputy secretary-general. “He let us down…[but] We have done a lot for the people of Ghana. ”
On Thursday, the final day of the election campaign, both parties held large rallies in the capital. “This election is a clear choice between the future and the past,” Bawumia said at the rally at the University of Ghana Sports Park. “My opponent represents the past and I, Dr. Bawumia, represent the future of this country.”
The NDC held its own event in a park in Madina district, about 20 minutes' walk away, where Mr Mahama called on voters to “carve out a better future” by voting for him. “This is our moment and it is time to bring about the changes needed to reset Ghana,” he said.
