Information available to Spice News has it that most of the electorates in some Polling Centers go through the facial verification process which seems to slow down the voting process resulting in long queues.
Most affected Centers include the Methodist Primary School Polling Center which is in front of the house of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate, Gabriel Essilfie and some Centers at Abuesi.
The situation could create tension in the Constituency if not addressed immediately by the EC officials in that as at 3:00 pm, only over hundred electorates had cast their ballots in the area leaving many in queues.
There have been calls on the Officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) to as a matter of urgency rectify the problem confronting the voting process, especially in Abuesi, one of the fishing communities in the Shama Constituency.
Western Regional Organizer of the NDC, Mr Japhet Baidoo called on the EC Officials to rectify the problem confronting the affected Polling Centers in order to offer the over two-thousand electorates the opportunity to exercise their franchise.
According to him, the Abuesi community has been the strongest base of the NDC and for that matter any attempt to disenfranchise the people through delay tactics would be resisted by the party.
Mr Baidoo further called on the Regional Director of the EC to intervene to ensure that the electorates have the opportunity to exercise their franchise despite the hiccups encountered.
Mr Kojo Amoako Nzoley of Spice News also confirms that Polling Centers at Abuesi continue to witness long queues as of 5:00 pm, with a heavy military presence.
Meanwhile, he reports that all COVID-19 safety protocols were strictly observed at the Polling Centers with security presence visible with the exception of the Methodist JSS 1 Polling Center while all political party representatives were available.
All the electoral materials were available and arrived on time as voting started at the stipulated 7:00 am without hitches at all the Centers visited.
Meanwhile, there were some short queues (average 15) in the early hours with a calm atmosphere generally witnessed apart from the Methodist JSS 2 where a past District Chief Executive (DCE) had a challenge with some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members talking to voters approaching the polling station.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
