As Ghanaians have taken to the polls to elect a new president, the elections seem to be moving in a tight fashion between the two major contestants, Nana Akufo-Addo and longtime opponent John Mahama.
Peace and serenity have always trailed the past 7 elections since Ghana returned to democracy nearly 30 years ago. Candidates have always accepted electoral outcomes and pursued any grievances through the courts.
To promote the longevity of this tradition, Akufo-Addo, 76, and Mahama, 62, being the two major candidates signed a symbolic peace pact on Friday, December 4, 2020.
The President, in a televised address on Sunday, said:
“In view of the happenings on the continent, and, indeed in West Africa, the entire world is looking up to us to maintain our status as a beacon of democracy, peace and stability.”
Twelve candidates are said to be participating in today’s election, including three women. The polls are expected to close at 5 pm (16:00 GMT) at the 38,000 polling stations across the country.
Both candidates had their manifestos centred around issues of unemployment, infrastructure, education and health.
Al Jazeera, in a report, said:
“The incumbent president is fighting his biggest political battle in this election against the man he replaced four years ago in a closely contested election.
“Now, Akufo-Addo is trying to convince Ghanaians he is still the man for the job while opponent Mahama says he can perform better. There are other 10 contestants in the presidential election but the main race is expected to take place between these two.”
It is important to note that both Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Mahama of the National Democratic Congress party (NDC) have faced each other in three consecutive elections.
Akufo-Addo has been ranked for his response to the COVID-19 and improved access to electricity.
Both candidates have also been accused of not handling cases of corruption properly. Mahama has also been criticised for poor economic decisions and racking up unsustainable debts.