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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
News
Steps underway to repeal L.I 2462 – Prez assures

President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that steps are underway to repeal Legislative Instrument 2462 as part of efforts to protect the country’s forests and water bodies.
During his media encounter at the Jubilee House, the president explained that the repeal will formalise the ban on mining in forest reserves and strengthen enforcement against illegal mining.
He stressed that his administration is committed to safeguarding the environment, reclaiming degraded reserves, and deploying more personnel to protect river bodies across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
9 forest reserves recovered from illegal mining – President Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has announced the recovery of nine forest reserves from illegal mining under his government’s intensified environmental protection drive.
Addressing journalists at the Jubilee House, the president explained that hundreds of excavators, water pumps and other equipment have been seized as part of the operation, while degraded areas are being reclaimed and restored.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to end mining in protected areas, deploy more personnel to safeguard river bodies and strengthen laws to secure Ghana’s natural resources for future generations.
This notwithstanding, President Mahama revealed that two of the retrieved forest reserves had gone back into the hands of illegal miners, however, adequate measures have been put in place to reclaim them.
By: Jacob Aggrey