IT PAYS TO WAIT

‘’Voting can waste hours. Bad governance can erode decades of gains a country has made’’.

After what can be described as an incessant violation of our ears, eyes- and our senses in general- by political parties, their affiliates  and peace promoters with campaign adverts (both on radio and TV) prior to the elections, Ghanaians went to the polls and voted to choose who they think they can entrust the fortunes of this nation with.

So like any other Ghanaian eligible voter, I preceded to exercise my franchise. But, that wasn’t after I had taken a well deserved sleep (I woke up at 8:30 am, did some few things, listened to the radio and joined the social media platforms to monitor electoral proceedings).

I went to my polling centre, which laid a few metres away from my house and joined the queue around 3: 45 pm. For the past three (3) elections I have participated in, I have gotten there late, simply because most Ghanaians get possessed by this ‘adrenaline rush’ to be first in exercises such as this- with shoving, pushing, arguments and even fighting being an obvious outcome. It wasn’t any different from the behavior of people in my area, as I did hear voters screaming or arguing at my polling centre around 4: 20 am when I woke up to take a pee. I wanted to avoid that hustle. I wanted to vote in a state of comfort.

There were still people, over 300 plus voters still in the queue, waiting for their turn when I arrived. Upon inquiring why there are a lot of voters yet to cast their ballot, I was told the verification machine had broken down since noon. Though the electoral officer in-charge of that constituency has been notified, relief was yet to come.

So I joined the queue, observing proceedings. The art to find the minds construction on the face was very much evident among anxious voters. One ‘senior’ citizen told me has been in the queue since morning, but was still prepared to wait. According to him, ‘’elections are the only time I gets to make my voice known as a citizen of Ghana’’.

Voters waiting to exercise their franchise

For hours we awaited the arrival of a new verification machine. It finally arrived around 6pm. The queue began to shrink gradually as voters strolled into the booth to vote. At exactly 8 pm, some of us were told we cannot exercise our franchise so we need to report back tomorrow Saturday to continue with the process. 

After a few grumblings from voters, especially those who have been waiting since morning, the crowd dispersed without any commotion.

Next day came; potential voters queued again and waited. The electoral personnel came in around 7:45 am and took them exactly 15 minutes to set up. Voting officially began at 8 am. I had asked somebody to hold a spot for me earlier on, so I was among the early people to cast my ballot. By 8: 30 am, I had reached the verification table and within seconds I had been cleared to enter the booth. I was the number 134 to have voted on Saturday morning. The process took just a blink of an eye. I was done under three minutes. I left the centre very much pleased to have executed my right in helping choose a leader to help manage this country.

Other voters before me had been turned away because the machine could not verify them, even after washing their hands (I understand it was a remedy to getting the prints on the finger alive). So magnanimous were the EC officials that they asked them to come later in the afternoon for another round of verification.

Whilst waiting for the verification machine to get replaced on Friday 7^th, I took the opportunity to ask first time voters (both those about to vote and had voted but still hanging around) how they felt. One of them enthusiastically opined, ‘it feels like I have come of age. I’m now matured to vote and make decision for the country’. Another stated that’ if even it will take the whole night for me to vote, I’ll do so because it is her right to vote’’.

It took me two days to have my turn to vote. It was frustrating to sit and/ or stand in a queue for hours just to give somebody’s father or mother a job. Voting can waste hours. Bad governance can erode decades of gains made by a country so I patiently, like many other like-minded individuals to vote, after 2 days.

After all that is the price we have to pay as citizens of a nation that has chosen to walk down the red carpet of a system of governance called democracy.