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Election day has arrived in Ghana, the place a debt disaster and excessive residing prices imply the financial system is uppermost within the minds of many citizens.
The West African nation is assured a brand new president as Nana Akufo-Addo steps down after reaching the official restrict of two phrases in workplace.
But he could possibly be changed with a well-known face, if former President John Mahama succeeds in his comeback try for the NDC celebration.
His fundamental challenger is anticipated to be Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, who would develop into the nation’s first Muslim chief if he wins for the governing NPP celebration.
Other candidates embody Nana Kwame Bediako, a businessman well-liked with younger voters and Alan Kyerematen, who defected from the ruling NPP celebration final yr.
Close to 19 million Ghanaians are registered to vote.
A person is as soon as once more assured to develop into the subsequent president, despite Ghana recently bringing in tougher legislation to drive up the numbers of women in frontline politics.
The solely feminine presidential candidate on this election – Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party – died in October. Yet her identify will nonetheless be listed on poll papers as a result of the candidate chosen to succeed her was disqualified.
Saturday’s common election additionally sees voters in 275 constituencies throughout the nation selecting their members of parliament.
Since the return of multi-party politics to Ghana in 1992, solely candidates from both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) have gained the presidency.
No celebration has ever gained greater than two consecutive phrases in energy.
Voters have a 10-hour window on Saturday to forged their ballots – with polling stations set to open at 07:00 GMT and shut at 17:00.
Results are set to be introduced inside three days.
In order to win within the first spherical, a presidential candidate should acquire greater than 50% of the vote. Failing that, the highest two contenders will enter a run-off vote to happen by the tip of December.
As campaigns got here to an in depth on Friday, Bawumia stated of his fundamental rival: “What is clear is that notwithstanding the challenges we’ve had, we have performed better than the government of John Dramani Mahama.”
While Mahama advised supporters “it is a choice between the Ghana we have today and the Ghana we want together. A Ghana of opportunity, prosperity, and justice for all.”
Ghanaians have been hit significantly laborious by inflation lately, which reached a peak of 54.1% in 2022. Although it has since come down, many 1000’s of individuals have been pushed into poverty and residing requirements have suffered, says the World Bank.
That similar yr, Ghana defaulted on its debt repayments and the government is still in lengthy negotiations with international lenders to try and restructure the loans.
Unemployment can be at a excessive – significantly among the many younger, whose views may have a big effect on the end result of the election.
Additional reporting by Damian Zane
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