Ho, Dec 21, GNA - Only 187 women out of 1,833 candidates in the Volta Region are contesting the December 28 District Assembly election. Statistics made available to the Ghana News Agency by the Volta Regional Directorate of Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC) also showed onl= y 458 women out of 4,211 candidates in the race for the Unit Committees. Miss Laurentia Kpatakpa, the Volta Regional Director of the EC, told the GNA that the situation remained about the same as in the last local government elections.

She said this was a disappointment given the heightened campaigns to encourage women to go into politics. Kpando District with 42 Electoral Areas has the highest number of wome= n contestants of 32 followed by Ho and Hohoe Municipal Assemblies which with 54 and 52 Electoral Areas respectively are fielding a total of 21 female candidates.

The newly created Nkwanta North District is fielding only one female candidate the lowest in the region. Under the Unit Committees, Kpando District leads with 58 candidates, followed by Ho Municipal with 50 and Nkwanta North District with one.