One person has been arrested by the police for reportedly destroying a poster of a contestant in the Akwatia by-election, currently underway in the Eastern Region.

The police’s swift intervention has ensured that the incident does not cause any disruption.

More than 50,000 registered constituents in Akwatia, in the Eastern Region, are casting their ballots today, Tuesday, September 2, to select a Member of Parliament (MP) to represent the Constituency in Parliament.

Today’s polls have become necessary following the sudden passing of the sitting MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi, which occurred on Monday, July 7, 2025. Ernest Yaw Kumi had only served for six months as the MP for the area.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has elected legal practitioner Bernard Bediako Baidoo to contest the election. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has also selected the Chief Executive of Owuo Mining Company, Solomon Kwame Asumadu, as its parliamentary candidate for the by-election.

However, David Ankomah, who sought to contest on the ticket of the Action People’s Party (APP) has been disqualified by the Electoral Commission (EC) over failing to submit his tax clearance certificate. In this regard, the disqualified candidate has filed a lawsuit against the Electoral Commission.

He has therefore challenged the EC at the High Court for excluding him because he failed to submit his tax clearance certificate. Ankomah argued that the Commission gave him too short a notice to produce the certificate through the Akwatia District Electoral Officer, which caused his inability to provide the required document.

Additionally, he maintains that he has completed all necessary processes needed to participate in the race. He has therefore prayed the Court to suspend the by-election until the case is determined.

Meanwhile, over 5,500 police personnel have been deployed to Akwatia to ensure law and order during the by-election. Briefing the media on the Police’s preparation ahead of the by-election on Friday, August 30, the Director-General of Operations, COP Dr. Vance Baba Gariba, noted that to ensure effective coverage, the constituency has been grouped into nine security zones.

He disclosed that 600 officers have been fully armed to swiftly respond to any disturbances that may occur during the exercise.The Director General of Operations has assured that the military will only assist should matters get beyond control.

“The military will be only on standby.As and when we need them, then we will deploy them, but if we don’t need the military, then we will not request for the deployment of the military. They are only going to be on standby,” COP Gariba stated.

Former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security, Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has encouraged Akwatia constituents to participate in the by-election without being intimidated by the security presence.

Engaging with the media on Monday, August 25, he indicated that the security presence is to ensure that the electoral process is not tampered with.

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have allegedly held back from signing a peace pact ahead of the Akwatia by-election.

This follows claims by the NPP that the NDC’s representatives presented constituency executives instead of national-level executives to sign the agreement.

NPP National Organizer Henry Nana Boakye told reporters that the NDC had shown reluctance to commit to the peace declaration, accusing the party of deliberately stalling the process.

Speaking to the media after the failed engagement, a Board member of the Peace Council, Sheikh Armeyaw Shaibu, said, "In the spirit of mutual dialogue and mutual respect, the two parties agreed that we should suspend the meeting".

In a series of security operations in Akwatia, the Eastern South Regional Police Command has announced the arrest of ten persons and the confiscation of nine firearms ahead of the upcoming by-election.

The seized firearms include eight pump-action shotguns and one locally manufactured single-barreled gun. This was announced in a statement shared on the Command’s official Facebook page earlier today.

The statement noted that, “These seizures form part of intensified efforts to prevent the unlawful possession and use of weapons during the electoral process.”

The first suspects were intercepted in a vehicle driven by one Bernard Kumi Ofosu near the St. Dominic Hospital in Akwatia. A search of the vehicle uncovered a Tulpar double-barrel pump-action gun, four AAA live cartridges, and two FTB blanks. Ofosu admitted ownership and presented a valid license.

He is currently assisting with investigations while the exhibits undergo verification. The statement further revealed that another operation led to the arrest of suspect Joshua Amenuku, from whom 15 live cartridges were retrieved.

A subsequent search at his residence uncovered an Adler Tulpar pump-action gun and five additional live cartridges.

“In a separate operation at the Akwatia Y-Junction snap check, the Police arrested suspect Joshua Amenuku after retrieving 15 live BB cartridges from him. A subsequent search at his residence uncovered one Adler Tulpar pump-action gun and five additional live BB cartridges,” the police added.

Later that evening, the police intercepted a Toyota Hilux pickup at the Boadua Livingstone snap checkpoint and arrested suspects Enoch Asiedu and Lu Youyan, a Chinese national, after retrieving four live BB cartridges from the vehicle.

According to the statement, “Preliminary interrogation revealed that the ammunition allegedly belonged to their employer, one Mohammed, identified as the owner of the vehicle. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest suspect Mohammed for interrogation, while the two suspects remain in custody assisting investigations.”

In another operation on Friday, August 23, police officers on duty at the Boadua Livingstone Junction snap checkpoint arrested suspect Pieterson Joseph after retrieving one Adler Tulpar pump-action gun and 46 AAA and BB cartridges from his vehicle. The suspect admitted ownership of the firearm.

On the same day, officers on snap-check duty at Staff Village Boadua intercepted a Toyota Tundra pickup with registration number WR 5535-13 traveling from Asamankese towards Boadua.

A search conducted on the vehicle revealed three pump-action guns, including one Pardus pump-action, one Huglu Atroe pump-action, and one other pump-action gun.

Suspect Stephen Nkansah claimed ownership of two of the firearms and stated that the third belonged to his chief. Nkansah has since been arrested and detained for investigation.

Following these successful operations, the police assured the public and all stakeholders that they would intensify efforts to ensure the integrity of the elections as well as maintain peace and security in the region ahead of the polls.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has assured that his outfit will remain vigilant to avert any form of misconduct or electoral violence during the Akwatia by-election.

Engaging the media, the IGP stated that his officers are fully prepared. “We want to assure Ghanaians that the police are ready to handle any type of thing that may come in Akwatia.

We are ready with the men. We have the men who can handle this situation, and then our eyes are red for Akwatia, and nobody, nobody should think of coming to cause trouble,” he said.

The IGP also cautioned political parties participating in the by-election against mobilising supporters to disrupt the electoral process.

“No political party should mobilise men to come and foment trouble, and nobody should have in mind the intention of snatching a ballot box. We have prepared our men adequately to handle this situation, and that, I informed the political parties as I met them yesterday [Tuesday],” he said.