ACCRA - Ghana's vice president and former central banker Mahamudu Bawumia faces off against opposition ex-president John Mahama on Saturday in a closely fought election to decide on the country's new president.
Ghana's struggling economy emerged as the major electoral issue after the West Africa gold producer went through a debt default, high inflation and negotiations for a $3-billion IMF bailout.
Voters will chose a successor to President Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after his legally allowed two terms, and will also elect the country's new parliament.
Voting opens at 7am and closes at 5pm on Saturday, with results for the presidential election expected by Tuesday.
With a history of political stability, Ghana's two main parties, current ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), have alternated in power almost equally since 1992.
Inflation slowed from more than 50 percent to around 23 percent, and other macro-economic indicators are stabilising. But many Ghanaians still say they struggle with costs of living and scarce jobs.
While the economy was key, Ghana also faces an increasing risk of spillover in its northern regions from jihadist conflicts in Niger and Burkina Faso, where military juntas rule after coups.
The spread of illegal gold mining also became an election issue. Akufo-Addo promised to stop illegal mining, but it has expanded, poisoning riverways and impacting cacao farmlands -- a major source of export income.