The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People's Party (CPP), Democratic People's Party (DPP) have all fielded candidates. Mr. Arhin said the Commission had been in discussion over allowances with electoral officers before they were recruited so as to avoid any hold-ups due to misunderstandings over money.

On the issue of misplaced identity cards, he said the Commission could not issue replacements, but those affected would be allowed to vote if their identities could satisfactorily be ascertained in the Voters' Register. "Once an electorate is physically present, the EC will not have problems with his identity at all", he said.

Mr. Arhin said with the political climate rising at the constituency, the Commission had agreed with the Police Administration to provide three police officers at each polling centre instead of one. Mobile police teams would also be on patrol. Some 81,643 registered voters would be voting at 116 polling stations in the constituency.

The four candidates are Asafoatse Sidney Mankattah, (NPP), Nii Tackie-Kommey (NDC); Christian Shanco-Bruce (CPP) and Nii Issaka Collison-Cofie (DPP). The by-election was necessitated by the death of Samuel Nii Ayi Mankattah, the former MP. In a press release yesterday, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) expressed satisfaction that the EC is "well prepared to meet the logistical and other challenges", but did not seem so optimistic about the security challenges.

Below is the full text of IEA's take on the bye-election: "Between the 9th and the 16th of August 2005, the Institute of Economic Affairs, IEA, employed a four-man team in the Odododiodio Constituency. This was for the purpose of assessing the issues, candidates and the constituency prior to the parliamentary by-election.

Summary of Finding and Recommendation 1.Both the parliamentary candidates and the voters of Odododiodio are ready for the by-election. However political tensions are extremely high in the constituency as a result of the candidates in the election, issues and dynamics of the constituency. A lower voter turn out is anticipated

2.The Electoral Commission (EC) is well prepared to meet the logistical and other challenges of the by-election. The EC would need all the help it can get in order to safeguard the credibility of the voting process and its final outcome.

3.The IEA calls on all with a stake in Ghana's democracy in general and the Odododiodio constituency in particular to do their best to ensure that the voting process and its final outcome are smooth, peaceful, transparent and free from any form of manipulation."

It was signed by Mr. Kwesi Jonah, Acting Head of Governance of the Institute. It would be recalled that a town hall meeting organized by the IEA earlier in the week had to be abandoned due to the unruliness that ensued. Ominously some stalwarts were heard telling the police to stay away on Tuesday.