News
Smooth voting process at polling stations in Abuakwa North and South Constituencies
Voting in the two Constituencies started at about 7am in most of the polling stations where the Spectatoronline.com visited.
In all about 1,634,166 eligible voters were expected to cast their votes in the 33 constituencies of the Eastern region.
The Eastern Regional Deputy Electoral Commissioner, Mr Asirifi Young Guggisberg revealed that region had 3,943 polling stations.
When the spectatoronline.com visited some of the centres, many people had turned out in their numbers to vote whilst the electoral commission had put in place all necessary measures for the elections.
Adequate COVID-19 protocols such as placing of veronica buckets at vantage points, provision of hand sanitizers and thermometer guns were also put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
At the Oman /state JHS polling station in the Abuakwa South Constituency, 682 people were expected to cast their ballot.
The presiding officer, Mr Isaac Agyeman Isaac said 17 people out of the 682 had voted as at 7:30am.
At the Magistrate Court polling station in the Abuakwa South Constituency, the Presiding Officer, Mr Douglas Adjei revealed that 567 were expected to vote.
As at 8:10am when this reporter visited the place, about 68 persons had voted.He said no challenges had been encountered.
At Tafo in the Abuakwa North Constituency of the Eastern region, Mr Morrisson Amoah, the Presiding officer at the Birth and Deaths polling station said process started at 7am with 706 voters expected to vote, out this numbers about 319 had voted as at 1:53pm
The station reported one manual verification and no challenges faced.
The electoral process was smooth at the Seed Garden polling station at Tafo in the Abuakwa South Constituency.
The Presiding Officer, Francis Cudjoe said 399 voters were expected to vote with 243 already voted as at 2pm when this reporter visited the place.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Kyebi
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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