Ghana’s police force has heightened security at all polling stations across the country following the chaos that struck the bloody Ayawaso-West Wuogon by-election last month.

To monitor voting processes for each of the 275 constituencies, JoyNews has reporters spread out throughout the country to oversee the conduct of voters and voting officials as supporters decide who will be the NDC’s flagbearer in the 2020 presidential election.

In Bolgatanga, everything has run according to plan, according to JoyNews reporter Albert Sore. He explained that voters began to trickle into polling stations at around 7 AM Saturday morning, and the number of voters began to swell around midday.

The district electoral official said that he expects 1112 people to show at the polls. At the time of Sore’s reporting, there are currently close to 100 people.

He indicated that “by the way things are moving, it may take longer than 7 PM, for everyone to cast their ballot.” He made the remark to suggest that the voting process was moving slowly, but otherwise, everything is under control.

Over in Techiman North, over 1,500 have lined up to cast their ballots at a local polling station and turnout has reached over 100%. 

“There is a lot of security but there haven’t been any incidents,” said Anas Sabit, who is monitoring the voting process in the constituency.

At other polling stations in the area, Sabit said, there are high turnouts. Crowd reactions seem to indicate that voters are keen on ensuring that they have chosen the right candidates. No animosity or violence has been reported in Techiman North.

Richard Nyarko is following voting progress in the Central region.

“I have been to six constituencies and I can tell you for a fact that the numbers were increasing by midday but now the numbers are declining,” he reported from the Cape Coast.

There have been only a few minor issues, including people coming without voter’s cards and national ID cards, he said.

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Nyarko added that security has been top notch as people filed in polling stations with NDC shirts. No complaints have been reported.

In Accra, Joseph Opoku Gapko has reported that voting is ongoing and peaceful. Out of 1,230 delegates, 1,030 have voted thus far, he said, adding that all polling stations have beefed up police presence to ensure violence does not mar the voting process.

“There have been no issues,” Opoku Gapko said.

When asked if there were any cases of candidates’ names not being on the ballots, he said none have been reported. Although in other regions, including the Ashanti region, there have been over 400 reports of names not being on ballots.

More than a quarter million delegates are expected to elect a flagbearer.