The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed all senior high schools (SHSs) to close on Thursday, December 5, 2024 to enable all staff and eligible students to exercise the right to vote on December 7, 2024.

It charged second cycle school heads, especially, to adhere to the directive.

“As the nation prepares to vote in the upcoming general election, we hereby direct schools to close on Thursday, December 5, 2024 to allow staff and eligible students to exercise their right to vote on December 7.

Regional

“Regional Directors are instructed to ensure that heads of second cycle schools strictly adhere to this directive, allowing staff and eligible students to travel to their respective constituencies to cast their votes,” a circular signed by a Deputy Director-General of the GES, Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, said.

It was addressed to all regional directors of education and copied to the Chairman, GES Council, Accra, the Director-General, GES-HQ, Accra, among others.The 2024 general election will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

The election will be the ninth since the country returned to constitutional rule in 1992.

In all, 12 candidates will be contesting for the presidential slot. Apart from the two frontrunners — the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, who are contesting all the 275 parliamentary seats, some independent candidates and others from the smaller parties are also in the race. 

Contestants

Those contesting the elections are John Dramani Mahama(NDC), Mahamudu Bawumia (NPP), Daniel Augustus Lartey (GCPP), Christian Kwabena Andrews (Ghana Union Movement), Kofi Akpaloo (Liberal Party Ghana),  Mohammed Frimpong (National Democratic Party) and Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Kumankuma (Convention People’s Party).

The rest are Hassan Ayariga (All People’s Congress), Kofi Koranteng (Independent), George Twum-Barima-Adu (Independent), Nana Kwame Bediako (Independent) and Alan John Kwadwo Kyeremateng (Independent).