The overwhelming endorsement for the creation of the Ahafo Region in the just-ended referendum did not come as a surprise because the people in the area have been yearning for their own region for about 40 years now.
As a result, a whopping 99.67 per cent of the people voted “yes” as against 0.24 % who voted “no”. Thus, there was jubilation at the referendum collation centre at Kenyasi No.1, where results of all six constituencies forming the Ahafo Region, including Asutifi North and South, Asunafo North and South and Tano North and South, were collated in the night at Osei Kofi Abiri Social Centre.
Journalists from the region supported by their colleagues from the Ashanti Region monitored the voting process. Regional EC officers, parties’ leaders and the Chief of Kenyasi No. 1, Nana Osei Kofi Abiri and members of the Ahafo Development Association gathered to hear the results.
There was jubilation amidst singing and dancing when it became clear that the people had voted massively for their long-awaited Ahafo Region. The results from Asunafo North and South delayed declaration up till about 3am and this was due to bad roads from the constituencies. Regional returning officer, George Gyabaa, announced the final results.
He declared that there were 307,108 registered voters in the registers from six constituencies and out of that 277,663 votes were cast, representing 90.49%. Two hundred and seventy-six thousand, seven hundred and sixty-three people (276,763) representing 99.67% voted “yes”. Six hundred and seventy-five (675) voters representing 0.24 per cent voted “no”. Rejected ballots were 255 representing 0.08 per cent.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Kenyasi
danielyaodayee@yahoo.com