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Accra boils over after election results

Accra, Jan 3, GNA - Hundreds of supporters of President-Elect, John Evans Atta Mills took to the streets of Accra clad in white calico, party tee-shirts and other National Democratic Congress (NDC) paraphernalia to celebrate the victory.

When Ghana News Agency (GNA) toured some principal streets and communities in Accra, hundreds of supporters had poured onto the streets, dancing to brass band music while others composed their own songs and danced, causing traffic jams.

At Accra Newtown, Alajo and Kotobabi, GNA observed that some few New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters in their party tee-shirts had joined the celebration whiles other celebrants sat in cars, trotros and trucks waving white handkerchiefs.

Some people went on procession through the principal streets, while taxi, trotro and some private car drivers honked with some motorcyclists performing acrobatics. 03 Jan 09

Tumultuous jubilation in Tamale, as EC declares Professor Mills winner

Tamale, Jan. 3, GNA - There was jubilation in the Tamale Metropolis on Saturday when the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan declared the NDC's Professor John Evans Atta Mills, President-Elect of the Republic of Ghana.

The jubilant crowd including disabled persons, who were in full NDC party paraphernalia and tee-shirts, invaded the main roads of the Metropolis expressing their joy that 'Change' had finally come to the country at last, while others had powder poured on their heads and were engaged in motorcycle acrobatics. Some of them were also seen wearing torn NPP tee-shirts and chanting "we are moving forward"; "we want change" and "toni, toni, toni" (forward, forward, forward), slogans. There was also heavy military presence in the Metropolis to ensure that the jubilation did not get out of hand, with the military personnel occasionally pleading with the crowd to give way to vehicles.

Speaking to the GNA in separate interviews some of the people claimed that the rejection of the NPP was, "a rejection of a party of arrogance and a complete disregard for the common person on the streets". Ms Mavis Dery, a business woman, said she was happy about the NDC's victory, not because she supports any of the two parties, but that she wanted the NDC to come back to power for Ghanaians to see whether they had learnt lessons from opposition to help to move the country forward.

Mr Abu Seidu, a shop owner, told the GNA that he was happy because there was change and no matter how bitter the change might be it was better than NPP winning the elections. A market woman, who pleaded anonymity, said she was happy about the NDC's victory because of Madam Grace Omaboe (Maame Dokono); Ms Frances Essiam and Mr Kwaku Baako Junior, all NPP supporters, who left no stone unturned to paint the NDC black for the NPP to win power. She said the elections had shown that Ghanaians were now politically matured and no amount of money dished out and misuse of incumbency could win elections and asked Professor Mills to get the NPP to tell Ghanaians the state of the national coffers before leaving office.

Some of them said Professor Mills as a peacemaker should try as much as possible to unite the nation and should not kowtow to pressures nor indulge in vindictiveness. They advised the President-Elect to ensure that the polarization that had engulfed the nation was addressed to move the country forward in one direction for development. Meanwhile there is a melancholy of defeat in the air for members of the ruling NPP in the Metropolis, who are yet to come to terms with the turn of events. So far the jubilation has been very peaceful in Tamale.

Nana congratulates Prof. Mills

The flag-bearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo has congratulated his contender, Prof. John Atta Mills on his victory at the presidential run-off election.

He however expressed some reservations about the votes from some constituencies in the Volta Region saying the issues might have to be resolved in court.

“This morning, third January 2009, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan discharged his constitutional duty and declared Prof. J. E. Mills, the NDC presidential candidate, the president-elect following the 2008 presidential elections. I acknowledge the Electoral Commission’s declaration and congratulate Prof. Mills.”

Nana Addo expressed gratitude to all those who participated in the elections, commending voters, security personnel, and observers.

He thanked particularly those Ghanaians who voted for him saying that half of the voting population in the country voted for him and his programme while another half voted for Prof. Mills and his programme. He said the closeness of the poll indicated that even the smallest irregularity makes a significant impact on the election results.

“It is wrong for agents of one party to be effectively barred from parts of a region during election as a result of orchestrated violence.

"By stating that there was criminal conduct in some constituencies in the Volta Region and yet announcing the result, the Electoral Commission has given the unfortunate impression that it does not matter how votes are obtained as long as they are duly recorded. The use of violence for electoral advantage is unacceptable in all circumstances,” he said.

The failed presidential hopeful expressed sympathies with all those who were assaulted in the election process.

“Our democracy will not be complete until the day when Ghanaians regardless of their party affiliation or region of origin can participate fully in our election as voters or polling agents everywhere”.

He expressed regret at what he said are attacks on some supporters of the party, commending supporters of the NPP for exercising restraint.

Nana Akufo-Addo urged Prof. Mills and the NDC to condemn publicly the acts of intimidation and violence by their supporters.

“This is today a divided country and these times call for leadership from all of us so that we can continue to build this country. Both Prof. Mills and I have an obligation to foster conciliation and consensus and I pledge to do my party,” he said.

Story by Malik Abass Daabu

Source: JoyFM

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NDC supporters in jubilant mood

Koforidua, Dec. 3, GNA - Hundreds of National Democratic Congress' (NDC) supporters both young and old, on Saturday poured onto the streets of Koforidua to celebrate the party's victory in the presidential election. Minutes after Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), announced that Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the NDC presidential candidate, had won the election, the supporters some of whom were clad in party paraphernalia took to the streets amidst singing and dancing.

NDC SUPPORTERS, Eastern Region  (c) EventPicture.co.uk

Commercial drivers, especially taxi drivers tooted their horns violating road traffic regulations. Ms Joana Mensah, a trader, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that she was happy that the NDC had won the election and said the people of Ghana had spoken. She expressed the belief that Professor Mills would move the country forward and appealed to all Ghanaians to bury their differences to help to accelerate the pace of development.

Mr Edward Mainoo, a driver, said he was happy that the NDC had won the election to save them the problems of paying high prices of fuel in addition to rising electricity and water bills. He commended Dr Afari-Gyan for being courageous to withstand intimidation and threats from some quarters. Mr Mainoo was optimistic that Professor Mills would live up to expectation to justify the confidence Ghanaians have reposed in him.

Kumasi NDC supporters in wild jubilation

Kumasi, Jan. 3, GNA - Traffic came to a halt when supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took to the streets in parts of the Kumasi Metropolis on Saturday afternoon to celebrate, following the declaration of Professor John Evans Atta Mills as President-Elect of Ghana by Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the Electoral Commissioner.

The supporters, mainly the youth, clad in party colours, spontaneously poured out onto the streets, some on motorbikes and others on roofs and in the boots cars, while some were hooked onto bumpers of fast moving vehicles as they sang and shouted party songs and slogans across parts of Kumasi. When the Ghana News Agency team visited areas like Asawase, Aboabo Number One, Aboabo Number Two, Sabon Zongo, Old Tafo, Alabar, Suame and other settler communities in the metropolis, jubilant supporters were seen in processions and had virtually taken over the roads making vehicular movement very difficult. Interestingly, some of them wore NPP t-shirts and carried posters of CPP while others did the "kangaroo" dance.

At Alabar, a mosque was filled with people in NDC party colours praying and thanking Allah for making their choice a reality. Some of the jubilant supporters, who spoke to the GNA, said they were happy that at long last the Electoral Commissioner had declared Prof. Mills winner of the Presidential Runoff. At the central business district of Adum, people were seen going about their normal duties and towards the Manhyia and Ashtown, there were pockets of people along the streets or on their verandas ostensibly discussing and debating the outcome of the elections. Areas such as Bantama, Krofrom, Asokwa, Asafo, Amakom and considered to be predominantly NPP strongholds,

were very quite.

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Tain tastes the fruits of a metropolis

Nsawkaw (B/A), Jan. 3, GNA - Nsawkaw, Tain District capital, enjoyed the "fruits" of a metropolis for a short while, after the area became the decider for the 2008 presidential election run-off. The capital became a field day for traders, who engaged in brisk businesses, following the influx of people from the length and breadth of the country ostensibly to offer support for their political parties in the Tain election re-run on January 2, 2009.

After the 2008 presidential run-off on December 28, 2008 in 229 constituencies, no winner emerged and the Tain Constituency (where the re-run election could take place) became the spotlight to determine the overall results. The Electoral Commission, therefore, agreed to wait for the election in Tain before declaring the results. Thousands of supporters of the two parties, hundreds of security personnel and journalists from local and international media thronged Tain in anticipation of the outcome of the results after voting. The booming businesses which concentrated mainly in Nsawkaw saw food vendors, "chop and drinking bars" operators, cloth sellers, and way side automobile mechanics and vulganizers enjoyed abnormal profits as prices were reported to have escalated due to increased demands. Madam Janet Danquah, a chop bar operator told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that her daily sales had increased tremendously as a result of the polls.

"I used to sell only one maxi sized metal pot of fufu a day, but for the past three days I have been selling five pots a day," she said. The situation also attracted food vendors and other retailers' business people from outside the constituency some commuted from nearby towns and villages and stayed in Nsawkaw the three days before election. Mariama Usman, rice and stew seller and a resident of Wenchi said she sells once a week at the Wednesday market at Subinso, near Wenchi, but with the election in Tain, she was able to make sales each at Nsawkaw.

"Usually I am able to sell a quarter of a maxi bag of rice, which is a one maxi sized metal pot after cooking but today I have been able to sell one maxi bag of cooked rice", she added. Nana Abena Gyamfua, a store keeper wished such occasion would be "perpetual" in the town because the goods in her store such as ladies and gents jeans wares, white polyester materials have all been sold out. "I brought those items for the Christmas season but the election activities over-shadowed everything but now the 60 pairs of jeans and five bundles of white polyester have all been bought by the NDC supporters," she said.

Nana Gyamfua was of the view that the jubilant followers of NDC were going to use the jeans and the white material for jubilation should the EC declare the final results of the run-off in their favour. Abdulrahman Amadu, a "Khebab" meat seller said his usual daily sales of about GH¢8 increased to GH¢50 a day. A drinking bar attendant, Beatrice Addai said her quantity of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages went up, saying before December 31, the maximum sale of Guinness was three crates but "now we are selling at least 20 crates a day".

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Ho goes crazy with joy for Mill's victory

Ho, Jan. 3, GNA - Ho, the Volta regional capital, literally went crazy with joy, with people pouring out on the streets minutes after the Electoral Commissioner (EC) declared Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) winner in the Presidential Election Runoff.

Young and old did anything they could think of; screamed; rolled; danced; yelled and did acrobatics all to celebrate Professor Mill's victory, as they paraded the streets in spontaneous celebration. Groups of people, some carrying dummies of the elephant, symbol of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), whose candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lost narrowly, supposedly en-route to the cemetery, for burial. A cross-section of celebrants the GNA talked to said they expected lower prices of petroleum products and edibles and also jobs, under a Professor Mills led government.

A Trade Unionist, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the incoming government should tackle the low salaries in the public sector with all seriousness. He said the NPP candidate might have lost to Professor Mills because of the perception that the outgoing government failed to tackle corruption and also to check crime, especially armed robbery. He said the issue of corruption was an important barometer, somehow, in measuring the efficacy of governments in Ghana and no government should condone it.

Meanwhile there is total orderliness in the Ho Municipal area with armed Police guarding vital installations and offices. Volta Region holds a store of votes for the NDC and had trounced the NPP at all polls since 1992, conceding a seat only in 2004. The NPP retained that seat, Nkwanta-North Constituency, in the just-ended elections, returning Mr Joseph Kwaku Nayan, the outgoing Deputy Volta Regional Minister to Parliament.

At Hohoe, NPP insignias, which hanged on power and telecommunication supply poles, were removed by groups of individuals parading the streets celebrating the Professor Mills' victory. They later converged at the Post Office Square to dance to borborbor music and drumming. At Big Ada, funerals were said to have been disrupted for sometime as mourners joined in the NDC victory celebration. People were seen sweeping what they said were the footprints of the elephant, into oblivion.