Ghana's High-Stakes Election: A Fight for Economic Stability

Ghana held presidential and parliamentary elections amid hopes for economic recovery after a financial crisis. President Nana Akufo-Addo is stepping down, with Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and former President John Dramani Mahama as frontrunners to succeed him. The election is viewed as crucial for Ghana's economic future.

Ghana conducted its presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, a critical juncture as the nation seeks a path out of its deepest financial crisis in a generation. President Nana Akufo-Addo is set to step down with Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and former President John Dramani Mahama leading the race to succeed him.

John Mahama, having served as Ghana's president from 2012 to 2016, represents the National Democratic Congress, positioning himself as a reformer ready to renegotiate last year's $3 billion IMF bailout. Meanwhile, Vice President Bawumia, of the New Patriotic Party, promotes economic recovery under existing policies, highlighting recent growth metrics.

With vote-counting underway, the electoral process in Ghana appears largely peaceful. Officials announced that most polling stations opened on time. A total of 18.7 million citizens were registered to vote. Early trends could predict outcomes, but official presidential results are anticipated by Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies.)