Residents of Bulengin community in the Wa West Constituency of the Upper West Region boycotted yesterday’s Presidential and Parliamentary polls with the excuse that they have been denied of basic social amenities befitting a community.
With a voter population of 436 electorates, no single person patronised the polling centre in the community although the officials of the Electoral Commission started the polls on time.
In an interview with the media, some of the residents cried foul over what they described as discrimination on the part of politicians who they claim were able to access their community for campaign but failed to redeem their promises to them after the ballot.
The community with over 700 residents and situated several kilometres away from the District capital, Wechaiu lacks basic amenities such as potable drinking water and electricity.
The Community Youth Leader, Edward Boodaba told the media that although they took the decision not to vote in 2016, the community received numerous promises from the various political parties saying they were forced to rescind their decision.
They stated that although poles were erected for the electricity connectivity to the national grid, they were later removed, adding that the community had still not seen any development.
The verification machine by the EC still read in zero figures at the close of the ballot at 5pm indicating that no electorate had cast their vote in the polls.
In an interview with the District Chief Executive, Mr Edward Sabo Laabiir via phone at 6:01pm, he confirmed receiving a report on the incident but said he was unable to reach the community before the close of ballot as he was left stranded in the bush after having a flat tyre.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, BULINGIN
