The Parliamentary and Presidential elections have started earnestly within the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly but not without few electoral problems.

Though the voting pattern had been peaceful at all the over 12 polling stations visited, delay of electoral materials, absence of security personnel, machine breakdown and rejection of some voters have characterised the process so far.

At the Takoradi Polytechnic Dining Hall Polling Station under the Effia Constituency, only three people had voted out of 302 as at 7:09 this morning.

Mr. Ishmeal Quarcoo, Presiding Officer, told the GNA that material arrived on time and that no electoral incident had been recorded.

Mr. Enoch Ninson told the GNA at the West Gate A of the Takoradi Polytechnic that four people have voted out of 149.

At Gate B, four had also voted out of 1035 according to Mr. Francis Borson, the Presiding Officer.

At Shell Filling Station in the Takoradi Constituency, 30 people had voted around 7:15 out of 777 registered voters.

Ms Rose Abdual-Korah, Presiding Officer, indicated that though materials arrived pretty late, voting was smooth and peaceful.

The Situation was not different at the Neigbourhood Centre also in Takoradi where six had cast their ballots out of 528 around 7:30 this morning.

Mr. Sam Porch attributed the late start of the electoral process to the malfunctioning of the biometric machine.

An African Union Observer was also found at the station polling station together with some local observers.

Only polling agents of the two main political parties could be found at most of the polling stations visited by this reporter, the other six parties were conspicuously missing.

At the Tarkwa Station Polling Centre the machine could not work again around 7:40.

The process was smooth at the Roman Catholic polling station where 45 had voted out of 439 around 7:50 this morning.

The Sekondi Taxi Rank had recorded 42 out of 802 around 8 am. Mr. Isaac Brew indicated that voting had been generally peaceful only that the position of the machine had to be changed to avoid direct sunlight.

Logistical delay restricted the voting process from starting on time at the Baptist Church under the Railway/Harbour Electoral Area in Takoradi.

About 40 people have however voted out of 732 registered voters around 8:30 am according to Mr. Joseph Adjaye, the Presiding Officer.

At the YMCA Polling Station, voting started around 7:20am and had recorded 90 voters around 8:45am out of the 400 as stated by Ernest Bani, the Presiding Officer.

The Old Sekondi College polling station had no security at post as of 8:55am when the GNA got to the centre.

Ms. Agartha Roberts said voting started around 7:20am due to material delay and 55 people had voted out of 456 registered voters.

The Railway quarters had recorded 126 voters out of the 915 around 9:00am according to Ms. Jemimah Lartey.

The Broadcasting sub Office received their materials around 8:10am and had recorded 44 votes out of 500.

At the all Saints Anglican Church, at about 9:19am, 81 had voted out of 907 while four people have been rejected according to Stephen Sai, the Presiding Officer