The National Peace Council in the Ashanti Region has urged officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) who will be overseeing the Kumawu by-election today, 23 May 2023, to execute their duties without partiality.

This is to forestall a repetition of what happened during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

The Ashanti Regional Peace Council also urged the two major political parties in the polls to desist from activities that have the tendency to disturb the elections. 

Advising the two major political parties, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Peace Council Rt Rev Nuh Ben Abubekr noted: “We want peace, no one liked what happened at Ayawaso [West] Wuogon constituency during the by-election. We don’t want it to be repeated here. 

“Parliament has also enacted a law, the police chief Dampare George Akuffo has also met the two main political parties. We expect them to follow the law and follow the road map they themselves have set up.”

He added: “The EC officials who have been selected to see to the running of the by-election, should do their work properly and impartially without deviating from what they have been taught.” 

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has assured the public that sufficient measures have been put in place to maintain law and order as well as ensure peace and security before, during and after the by-election.

The Police said adequate personnel have been deployed to Kumawu and the other communities within the Constituency to support the local Police to provide security for the election.

The Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, on, Monday, 22 May 2023, met the leadership of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the district Police command in Kumawu.

He cautioned both political parties to keep their supporters in check and advise them not to foment any trouble or disturb the peace of the area before, during, and after Tuesday’s by-election.

He warned that any lawlessness will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Constituents of Kumawu will today vote to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP) in a by-election expected to start at 7am and end at 5pm.

The by-election has been necessitated by the death of the sitting MP, Phillip Basoah, who was buried on Saturday, 20 May 2023.

The contesting candidates are Ernest Yaw Anim for the governing New Patriotic Party, Kwasi Amankwaa for the National Democratic Congress, and two independent candidates both coincidentally known as Kwaku Duah.