By Kwasi Kpodo
ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghanaians voted to choose their president on Sunday in a close election run-off many hoped would salvage Africa's battered democratic credentials, although some incidents of violence and ballot box snatching were reported.
The heated presidential contest pitted Nana Akufo-Addo, of the previously ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), against the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)'s John Atta Mills, after neither managed an outright win three weeks ago.
Counting was under way but full results were not expected before Tuesday at the earliest. Local media said turnout had appeared to be lower than the inconclusive December 7 first round.
Some analysts said a turnout higher than the 70 percent recorded in the first round could favour the NPP's Akufo-Addo, while a lower turnout -- traditional in second rounds -- could boost the chances of the NDC's Mills.
A domestic election observer coalition, CODEO, reported cases of disorder, intimidation and even violence in several regions, but a senior police officer said none had been serious enough to close a polling station in the 230 constituencies.
"Generally the process ended well, but there were challenges, including several attempts to snatch ballot boxes, especially in Accra and in Kumasi," Deputy Police Superintendent Kwesi Ofori told Reuters. He said arrests had been made.
Yakubu Gowon, head of the observer mission from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, said more incidents had been reported than in the widely-praised December 7 first round.
"This time around it's not as joyful as the first one. We had a bit of incident -- disagreements among party agents, reported snatching of ballot boxes," Gowon said, although he congratulated Ghanaians on the holding of the polls.
Both presidential contenders are foreign-trained lawyers and both are 64. They have vowed to maintain the stability and growth which have made the former British Gold Coast colony a recent favourite of investors on a turbulent continent.
Ghana is already the world's No. 2 cocoa grower and the second largest gold producer in Africa, and is preparing to start commercial oil output in late 2010.
POLLS IN GHANA, COUP IN GUINEA
The Ghana run-off vote came at the end of what some see as a difficult year for constitutional democracy in Africa, tarnished by flawed elections in Kenya and Zimbabwe and military coups, in Mauritania in August, and in Guinea over the last week.
"The U.S. considers Ghana as a model of democracy in Africa and the country has contributed to keeping the image of the continent afloat by holding consecutive successful elections over the years," the top U.S. diplomat for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, told Reuters in an interview in Accra.
Frazer noted that while Ghanaians had voted to choose a successor to President John Kufuor, who was stepping down after two terms in line with the constitution, Guinea's President Lansana Conte, who died on December 22, had remained in power for 24 years. Guinean military officers seized control after his death.
As he cast his ballot, NDC candidate Mills said he had heard some reports of irregularities and of intimidation against NDC voters and he urged authorities to ensure the vote was fair. His rival, Akufo-Addo, called for a big turnout.
In the first round, Akufo-Addo finished with just over 49 percent, more than one percentage point ahead of Mills, but he failed to gain the more than 50 percent of votes needed to win.
Analysts see challenges after Sunday's vote, which follows the NPP losing its majority in a December 7 legislative vote.
"Either way, the next president of Ghana -- whether from the NPP or the NDC -- is likely to face a hostile and acrimonious parliament that his party won't be able to easily control," Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, Africa analyst of the Eurasia Group risk consultancy, wrote in a recent briefing note.
