A heated altercation between military personnel and a civilian disrupted proceedings at a polling centre in Obuasi East, Ashanti Region, during Ghana’s 2024 general elections on Thursday, 7 December 2024.
In a video circulating on social media, the military personnel demanded that individuals around the polling station stop filming the incident and allow them entry to the centre. However, the civilians ignored their warnings, escalating the situation.
One civilian, heard saying, “Get away, if you try you will see. Where are you going?” confronted the military officers. One of the two officers retorted, “Stop taking the video, allow me to go and don’t touch me.”
The altercation turned physical when the civilian refused to yield, prompting the military personnel to resort to force to clear a path. Concerned residents eventually stepped in to separate those involved in the scuffle.
As of now, the Ghana Police Service has yet to comment publicly on the incident.
#GhanaDecides2024: Heavy misunderstanding between the Obuasi East, NDC Communication Officer and some men in uniform resulting in a shooting incident #TV3GH #ElectionCommandCentre pic.twitter.com/MTm1ihW7TY
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) December 7, 2024
The 2024 General Elections in Ghana
The incident comes amid Ghana's highly anticipated 2024 general elections, which feature 18.8 million registered voters casting their ballots across 276 constituencies. Voter turnout is expected to be substantial, with 40,976 polling centres in operation.
Key statistics highlight the significance of this election:
Presidential race: 13 candidates are contesting, including nine representing political parties and four independents.
Parliamentary contest: 801 candidates are vying for 276 seats, including 111 independents.
Youth participation: The youth, constituting 55% of the electorate, are expected to play a pivotal role.
This year’s elections follow the Special Voting exercises conducted earlier at 328 polling stations on 2 December and 5 December 2024.
With Ghana’s democratic credentials on display, incidents like the one in Obuasi East underscore the challenges faced in ensuring a peaceful and orderly electoral process. Observers, including the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), continue to monitor proceedings across the country.
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