Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama, held a narrow lead
in provisional results as people finished casting ballots after the
process was extended to a second day because of malfunctioning
voter-identification machines.
Mahama had 50.2 percent of
votes cast from 155 of the country’s 275 constituencies, according
to figures on the website of Accra-based, closely held Citi FM. Nana
Akufo-Addo, the main opposition candidate, had 48.7 percent, the
data show. A runoff will be held if no candidate gets at least 50
percent.
Ghana’s election was peaceful and transparent even with the
“logistical challenges that caused undue delays in completing the
electoral process,” an observer mission from the Economic Community of West African
States said in a statement handed to reporters in Accra, the
capital, today.
Equipment to scan fingerprints failed in 18 percent of the
country’s voting centers, according to the Coalition of Domestic
Election Observers, which had 4,500 poll-watchers. Half of the centers were open 15
minutes after the scheduled start yesterday because of delays in
providing voting materials, the group said in an e-mailed
statement. There were 413 stations open today, or 1.6 percent of
the total, according to the Electoral Commission. Polls closed at 5 p.m.
Mahama, 54, of
the National Democratic Congress is contesting New Patriotic Party
leader Akufo-Addo, 68, for the presidency. Six others are also
vying for the position. Mahama came
to office in July after the death of John Atta Mills, who defeated
Akufo-Addo by less than one percentage point in 2008.
Oil Production The winner will face mounting calls from
Ghanaians to spread wealth from oil
production that began in 2010. Spending promises made during the
campaign may be hindered by a widening budget deficit and slowing
economic growth in a nation where 18 percent of the population has
formal employment.
Both Mahama and Akufo-Addo
pledged to build schools, roads and housing, and use money from oil
exports to boost the country’s manufacturing industries and create
jobs, according to their manifestos.
After expanding 14.4 percent in 2011, the fastest pace in
Africa, Ghana’s economy is projected to grow 8.2 percent this year
and 7.8 percent in 2013, according to the International Monetary
Fund. In the nine months through September, the fiscal gap widened
to 7.3 percent of gross domestic product from 1.9 percent a year
earlier, according to the Bank of Ghana.
Provisional results showed Mahama’s NDC winning 65 of the 275
Parliament seats, with the NPP taking 62, according to Accra-based
broadcaster Joy FM’s website.
Cocoa, Gold Ghana is the world’s second-biggest cocoa
producer, after Ivory Coast, and Africa’s second-largest gold
miner, following South Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (ANG) and
Newmont Mining Corp. mine gold in the country while Cargill Inc.
and Barry Callebaut AG process the chocolate
ingredient.
Tullow Oil Plc (TLW) said oil production at the Jubilee
field, the country’s lone source of crude exports, slowed to an
average of 63,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day in the first half
of this year, according to the central bank. Production is expected
to increase to 90,000 barrels by the end of this year from 78,200
barrels in 2011, according to London-based Tullow.
To contact the reporter on this story: Ekow Dontoh in Accra
at edontoh@bloomberg.net.
