Akwatia by-election: “We love money; we’re waiting to get paid to vote” – Some residents

Some young women in Akwatia have openly stated that financial inducements from political parties heavily influence their voting decisions.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi News during the ongoing by-election, they noted that, unlike the 2024 general elections, no money is being distributed by candidates or parties this time.

“During the 2024 election, money came,” one of them said. “But in this by-election, the money is not coming, and the police have also taken over the constituency. We are not getting anything.”

Another added: “We love money, and that is how we have been trained. So we won’t vote if the money doesn’t come.”

The women explained that for many residents, particularly the youth, financial and material benefits often outweigh party manifestos or campaign promises.

“We prioritise money in everything we do,” one emphasized.

The by-election in Akwatia was triggered by the death of sitting Member of Parliament Ernest Yaw Kumi in July 2025. The contest is a fierce battle between the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Solomon Kwame Asumadu and the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) Bernard Bediako Baidoo.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured stakeholders of a free and fair process, while the Ghana Police Service has deployed over 5,000 officers to maintain security across the constituency.