EC holds district elections in Nkoranza after 2015 disruption

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The Electoral Commission (EC) is organising district level and Unit Committee elections at Nkoranza North and South Districts after the process was disrupted in 2015.

The election in the two districts had been boycotted following the microfinance scam that led to the loss of millions of cedis of some residents.

DKM Microfinance, Little Drops Financial Services and God is Love Fun Club took deposits from some residents with the promise of giving them huge returns, but the companies failed to return to them their investments.

Some customers lost their lives, while others collapsed on the spot after they were told they had lost their life savings to the companies.

The development angered residents who warned EC officials not to step foot into the two districts with their election materials. They accused the EC of being insensitive to their plight. They threatened to burn the election materials if the process was not called-off in the two districts.

Tempers flared up, triggering a series of meetings between the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council and District Security Councils of the two districts.

The EC officials, acting on the advice of the Security Councils, called off the elections for safety reasons.

Former EC Public Affairs Director, Christian Owusu Parry

“So we heeded the advice …the elections will not take place in those two districts,” then acting EC Public Affairs Director, Christian Owusu Parry said.

However, after a year and a half, the youth in the two districts led by a fetish priest, Nana Nyarko, reversed the curse placed on the EC last Tuesday.

Local authorities gave the EC the green light to go ahead with the election.

The Tuesday process, which is taking place concurrently in the two districts, has recorded low turnout in the 55 electoral areas, Joy News Regional Correspondent, Anas Sabit, reported.

He said opinion leaders believe the day chosen by the EC is a contributing factor because Tuesdays are market days in the two districts.

A total of 388 candidates made up of 34 females and 354 males are vying for various assembly slots in the two districts.