ACCRA: Ghanaians endured long waits and delays in some areas to vote in a tight presidential election on Friday as the country sought to make good on its reputation as an example of stable democracy in West Africa.
At stake is control of a nation that is reaping the benefits of a booming economy fuelled in part by a new but expanding oil industry.
Long lines formed in many areas and a number of voters said they had waited all night to cast ballots, with President John Dramani Mahama vying for a first elected term against main opposition candidate Nana Akufo-Addo.
While many polling stations opened on time, a number started late due to the delayed delivery of materials, causing frustration. Voter biometric fingerprinting was also being used for the first time.
Mahama, after voting in his home district of Bole Bamboi in the country's northern region, addressed the late start in some areas, saying that he had been informed "that the problems have been resolved."
"This year's elections will go down in history as the best ever to be held in Ghana," he said. "It's a great day for Ghana and it will go a long way to consolidate Ghana's democratic credentials."
The electoral commission issued a statement in the afternoon reminding voters that anyone in line when polls close at 1700 GMT will still be allowed to cast ballots.
In the Jamestown area of the capital Accra, one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods with faded colonial architecture and congested streets, voters grew angry after waiting hours and shouted at authorities.
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