Oti Region records 98.65 per cent YES votes; 88.31 per cent turn out

The results of the referendum for the creation of Oti region has been overwhelming as it exceeded the minimum 80 per cent threshold of YES votes.

A total of 98.64 per cent voted in favour of the creation of the Oti region out of the Volta region.

Graphic Online's Volta Regional Correspondent Tim Dzamboe reports that it also exceeded the 50% turnout threshold, recording a high of 88.31%.

The Volta Regional returning officer of Electoral Commission, Mr Joseph Kodua broke the news to a jubilant crowd at the collation centre at the Bueman Senior High School on Friday.

He gave the breakdown as follows:

• Hohoe Municipal, 21,367 registered voters, votes cast 10,619, 9,427 YES votes, 1,125 NO votes and 67 rejected votes, thus scoring 49.79% of the threshold of votes
• Jasikan district had 40,566 registered voters, 39,360 votes cast, 38, 915 YES votes, 310 NO votes and 135 rejected votes thus scoring 97.03 %.
• Biakoye district had 43,571 registered voters, 36,883 votes cast , 36,351 YES votes, 434NO votes and 98 rejected votes with a score of 84.65%
• Kadjebi district had 43,586 registered voters, 40665 votes cast, 40002 YES votes, 553 NO votes and 110 rejected ballots thus scoring93.35 %.
• Krachi East had 45,833 registered voters, 42,786 votes cast, 42,485 YES votes, 204 NO votes and 97 rejected ballots with a score of 93.35%
• Krachi West had 28,157 registered voters, 27734 votes cast, 27,577YES votes, 66 NO votes and 91 rejected ballots leading to a score of 98.50 %
• Krachi Nchumuru had 33, 357 registered voters, 29,112 votes cast, 29000YES votes, 51NO votes and 61 rejected ballots making a score of 87.27 %.
• Nkwanta South had 58, 925 registered voters, 50, 893 votes cast, 50, 006 YES votes, 18 NO votes and 779 rejected ballots resulting to 80.37%
• Nkwanta North had 51,183 registered voters, 45, 656 votes cast, 45,443 YES votes, 117 NO votes and 96 rejected votes thus scoring 89.20%.

In all, there were a total of 366,545 registered voters with 323,708 votes cast and 319296 YES votes and 2878 NO votes with 1534 rejected votes with a score of 88.31% above threshold of 50 %.

Jubilant citizens of Jasikan burst into joy and spontaneously embarked on a float on the streets to celebrate the victory.

Present at the collation centre were the Minister of Integration and Regional Organisation, Mr Dan Botwe; Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yaw Letsa; Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Maxwell Blagodzi; former national organizer of NDC, Mr Kofi Adams; and some municipal and district chief executives.