Electorate defy pungent odour to vote

The situation created much anxiety among stakeholders who thought that the leakage and its odour could prevent the electorate from coming out in their numbers to exercise their franchise.

However, the timely response by a team from Anglogold Ashanti in Obuasi, the Ghana National Fire Service, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and volunteers who worked around the clock to evacuate the agro-chemicals from the warehouse brought the odour under control, and as of the time of voting, it had gone down considerably.

The warehouse, belonging to Kumark Agro Chemical Company Limited, had been the storage place of the agro-chemicals for the past three years, and the chemical reaction of two antagonistic chemicals last Sunday resulted in the pungent odour in the Kumasi Metropolis.

The chemicals, Sumetex 40 E and Sharp 480 SL, used to control aphids, mealy bugs, white flies and other insects, were packed in the warehouse which used to be part of a poultry farm, and according to residents, the offensive  smell was initially thought to be emanating from the poultry feed.

The situation caused residents to cover their mouths  and nostrils with handkerchieves and other protective gears to avoid inhaling the chemicals.

A 65-year old woman who resides at Asafo told the Daily Graphic that her desire to exercise her franchise was a civil responsibility.

She said since election was about numbers, it was important for individuals to take part in such national exercises.

She pointed out that even if the pungent odour had not been controlled, she would still have exercised her franchise, as she attached much importance to the exercise and nothing could have prevented her.

Mr Kwame Owusu, a businessman, was full of praise for the team which cleared the agro chemicals from the warehouse to bring the odour under control.

He said it was their effort that contributed to the high voter turnout, explaining that if the situation had not been controlled, it would have affected the health of many residents and denied them the opportunity to exercise their franchise.

Story by George Ernest Asare