EC begins printing Akwatia ballot papers today
The Electoral Commission (EC) has stated that the printing of ballot papers for the upcoming Akwatia parliamentary by-election will officially commence today.
The Director of Electoral Services, Benjamin Bano-Bioh, who announced this, stated that "We are going to start the printing of ballots from tomorrow."
He was speaking to journalists after the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, met representatives of political parties at the Police headquarters today to discuss preventive measures against election-related violence and key security arrangements for the upcoming poll.
Readiness
Mr Bano-Bioh said: "Procurement has already been done. We have procured all the materials required for the election, so we are ready."
He said the EC was poised to deliver on its mandate in a professional manner and called on the political parties to play by the rules to ensure a successful by-election in Akwatia.
“Recruitment has already been done as we have also procured all the materials required for the election, so we are all ready.
“The issues of violence that characterised the Ablekuma North rerun in 19 polling stations was also raised, and the IGP and his team assured us that they are dealing with the situation and we hopeful that we will have a free and fair election. We also use this opportunity to call on all the political parties to be guided by the rules,” he added.
Context
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Ernest Yaw Kumi, passed away on July 7, 2025, prompting a by-election to fill his seat in Parliament.
The EC has fixed September 2, 2025, to conduct the by-election.
IGP
Mr Yohuno outlined the security arrangements for the Akwatia by-election.
He said the police administration had put all the necessary measures in place to ensure that the elections, which would take place on September 2, 2025 would be incident-free.
“We want to make sure that the Akwatia by-election will be one of the most successful in the country.
We called you the political parties and the Electoral Commission (EC) here to put out the roadmap and what we are all expected to do as major actors in this exercise.
“This meeting is also to afford you the opportunity to put out your concerns and suggestions so that we all find a lasting solution to them,” he said.
Mr Yohuno also allayed the fears of the political parties adding that “the police will not countenance any form of violence before, during and after the election.”
NDC
The Deputy National Director of Elections and Information Technology (IT) of the National Democratic Congress, Sofo Tanko Rashid Computer, gave the assurance that the party would comply with all the security protocols during the election.
“As a party, we are mindful of those who might want to come to the polling stations to foment trouble as it happened in the Ablekuman North by-election.
So we are calling on the police to ensure that they beef up security at all the pollen centres,” he said.
The National Youth Organiser of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye, said he was pleased with the meeting, and said the party would fully cooperate with the police to ensure a peacefull election.
