The Swing Regions

The voting pattern in four out of the country's 10 regions is expected to determine the verdict of the people in the December general election.

The voting trend in the Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo, Central and the Western regions indicate that voters in these regions hold the key to victory for any political party.

Since 2000, the fortunes of the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have changed in these four regions.

The NDC has, since democratic governance in 1992, always won the Volta Region, consider as its 'World Bank', and the three Northern regions. This situation is not likely to change in this year's elections.

For its part, the NPP has always won the Ashanti Region, regarded as its 'World Bank', and the Eastern region which may not alter this year.

Pundits think the campaign strategies of the four political parties with representation in Parliament-the NDC, the NPP, the People's National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People's Party (CPP)-in the Western Region this year are likely to determine how the people of that region will vote.