Riyadh's PSU tops Saudi universities in research quality    Historic Jeddah hosts 'Ramadan Season 2025' with diverse cultural events    Project launched to evaluate degraded sites in Saudi regions    Bevatel leads the WhatsApp Business API and Meta Solutions for GCC businesses    Aramco reports $106.2 billion net income for 2024    Trump's tariffs risk economic turbulence and voter backlash    Two dead after car plows into crowd in Germany    Pope Francis 'alert' after respiratory failure    Trump pauses US military aid to Ukraine following disastrous Oval Office meeting    In-person school classes will remain suspended in some parts of Makkah region on Tuesday    Al-Ahli CEO Ron Gourlay to step down in April    HONOR unveils New Corporate Strategy to Transition to an AI Device Ecosystem Company Illuminating a three-step roadmap underpinned by openness and collaboration    MEPCO lays the Foundation for PM5: A Groundbreaking Leap in Paper Production, doubling Supply Capacity and introducing Superior-Quality Paper to the Region    Secure 2030 by Seclore strengthens Data Sovereignty, Cybersecurity and Regulations in Saudi Arabia    UK death rate 'reaches record low'    Anora sweeps Oscars with best picture, best director and best actress for Mikey Madison    Bassogog stuns Al-Ittihad with last-minute equalizer as Al-Okhdood snatches a dramatic draw    Cristiano Ronaldo left out of Al-Nassr squad for AFC Champions League clash against Esteghlal in Iran    Toney's hat-trick stuns Al Hilal as Al Ahli claims thrilling victory in Saudi Clasico    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    SFDA warns against Maragatty chicken broth for containing banned colorants    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ghanaians vote in peaceful presidential run-off election
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 28 - 12 - 2008

Polling stations closed in Ghana Sunday
evening after a run-off presidential election that will decide who
leads the West African nation into an era of oil production, according to dpa.
While the election passed off peacefully, the two parties battling
it out accused each other of attempting to rig the vote.
Neither Nana Akufo-Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP)
nor John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were
able to score a decisive victory in the first round in early
December.
Akufo-Addo scooped marginally more votes than Atta Mills, but the
other six candidates polled enough to prevent him from crossing the
50 per cent mark.
The run-off was expected to be tight. Analysts said a high voter
turnout would favour the NPP.
Ghanaian media reported a mixed turnout at the polling stations,
but said that overall fewer people seemed to have voted than in the
first round. Turnout was about 70 per cent of the population in the
first round.
Some 12.5 million people were eligible to vote.
The election is seen as key to African democracy, which sorely
needs a boost after electoral chaos in Kenya and Zimbabwe and coups
in Mauritania and Guinea this year.
However, there were reports of groups of men attempting to snatch
ballot boxes at polling stations across the country, mainly in NDC
strongholds.
The NDC said in a statement that it may not accept results from
the Ashanti region, alleging intimidation and harassment of NDC
officials.
It also accused the Electoral Commission of not using proper
indelible ink to mark voters at some stations, allowing people the
chance to vote more than once.
However, the NPP countered with claims that its polling agents
were harassed by the NDC in the capital Accra and the Volta Region.
Ghanaian police and military forces have provided heavy security
at potential flashpoints. The borders with Togo, Ivory Coast and
Burkina Faso were also closed.
Foreign election monitoring teams are in place to observe the
election. The EU's election monitoring team, which hailed the first
round as a a credit to democracy, is due to deliver its verdict on
the second round on Tuesday.
The Ghana electoral commission said it would release the results
within 48 hours of the polls closing.
Atta Mills and Akufo-Addo are vying to replace John Kufuor, who
must step down in January after serving two terms.
Kufuor revived the Ghanaian economy by bringing pro-market reforms
and political stability. Economic growth has been strong and the NPP
campaigned on a platform of continuity.
However, despite the growth and the fact that Ghana is the second-
largest cocoa grower in the world - as well as being Africa's second-
biggest producer of gold - there is still widespread poverty among
ordinary Ghanaians.
Neither candidate is expected to institute major policy changes.
Both also promise good governance of revenue from newly discovered
oil, due to come onstream in late 2010.
Ghana's National Petroleum Corporation expects 120,000 barrels per
day initially, with that figure rising to 250,000 barrels a day
within two years.


Clic here to read the story from its source.