LIVE UPDATES
06:55 GMT: Ghanaians share considerations over financial scenario
Many Ghanaians are united by considerations over the price of residing. Conversations are dominated by complaints about hovering inflation, unemployment, and enterprise closures, with a robust expectation that the brand new authorities will deal with these urgent points.
06:51 GMT: Presidential candidate John Mahama on his plan to reset Ghana’s economic system
John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s former president and presidential candidate of the primary opposition occasion, the NDC, pledged a “complete reset” of the nation’s economic system, which he described as being in disaster.
“We have hit a lifeless finish. Our economic system is in disaster, and all the pieces else has a linkage to the economic system. Inflation is up. We’ve a depreciating foreign money, and our entire macroeconomic framework is unbalanced,” he advised International South World.
Polls are anticipated to open at 07:00 GMT throughout all polling stations in all 16 areas.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Historical past
The nation returned to multi-party democracy in 1992 underneath former president Jerry John Rawlings by the 1992 structure, which established the Fourth Republic.
Ghana holds its presidential and parliamentary elections each 4 years, as outlined within the 1992 Structure. Though not required by legislation, each elections have been held on the identical day since December 1996. All residents aged 18 and above can register to vote.
Because the Fourth Republic was instituted, Ghana has held eight peaceable elections and seen seamless transitions—this would be the ninth.
Traditionally, voter turnout has been excessive, with 79% participation recorded within the December 2020 elections.
Voter Registration
In keeping with Ghana’s Electoral Fee, 18,774,159 voters are registered out of an estimated inhabitants of 35 million. All voters will forged their ballots at 40,975 polling stations unfold throughout the 16 areas in Ghana.
Particular voters
Over 130,000 voters, or 0.07% of the entire registered voters, have already forged their votes on December 2 in a particular voting course of. The particular voters included electoral officers, safety personnel, and media staff who will probably be on obligation throughout election day.
Presidential candidates
Ghanaians will probably be selecting the sovereign chief from 12 candidates. These candidates embrace incumbent Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a candidate of the New Patriotic Get together (NPP), and the primary opposition chief and ex-President John Dramani Mahama of the Nationwide Democratic Congress (NDC), who’s contesting for the fourth time within the 4th republic.
On the candidature record can be a former commerce minister, Alan Kojo Kyerematen, who broke away from the ruling NPP to develop into an impartial. There’s additionally the actual property magnate and political newcomer, Nana Kwame Bediako, who’s operating as an impartial.
Different candidates embrace Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Kumankuma of the Conference Individuals’s Get together (CPP), the one feminine candidate. Hassan Ayariga of the All Individuals’s Get together (APP), Christian Kwabena Andrews of Ghana Union Motion (GUM), Mohammed Frimpong of Nationwide Democratic Get together (NDP), Daniel Augustus Lartey of Nice Consolidated Well-liked Get together (GCPP), Kofi Koranteng, an impartial candidate, George Twum Barim-Adu, an impartial candidate, and Akua Donkor.
Regardless of her current passing, Akua Donkor stays on the poll, with votes for her to be declared invalid by the Electoral Fee.
Electoral course of
Ghana’s presidential elections use a two-round system: if no candidate secures a majority within the first spherical, a runoff is held between the highest two candidates. Parliamentary seats are determined by whoever will get probably the most votes in every constituency.
Declaration of votes
Parliamentary outcomes are introduced instantly after counting on the constituency degree, normally on the identical day. Presidential outcomes, nevertheless, are first introduced on the 16 Regional Collation Centres earlier than the ultimate declaration on the Electoral Fee’s Nationwide Headquarters, usually inside 72 hours after polls shut.