Ghana's Electoral Commission is expected to hold referenda to determine the constitutional threshold for the creation of six new Regions as recommended by the Justice Brobbey Commission of Inquiry.
The proposed new regions are the Western North, Bono East, Ahafo, Savannah, North East, and Oti Regions.
These were contained in the report submitted to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in Accra, last Tuesday, by Justice S.A. Brobbey, Chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry established to enquire into the need and demand for the creation of new regions.
President Akufo-Addo said the process for the creation of the six new regions from the Western, Brong Ahafo, Volta and Northern Regions rested entirely in the hands of the Electoral Commission and the Ghanaian people.
The President who expressed commendation to the 9-Member Commission for bringing its work to a successful conclusion, said he had followed with keen interest the proceedings of the Commission and was satisfied with the broad consultations that the Commission engaged in.
"The Constitution insists that the process and outcome must be guided by the popular will and it is my earnest wish that the holding of the referenda will be conducted in an orderly and peaceful manner," he said.
President Akufo-Addo noted that throughout history, administrative regions had been created with the intent to bring governance closer to the people and to accelerate socio-economic development, and that he expected the creation of these new regions to serve the same purpose.
President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the support of the Ghanaian people - Members of the Council of State, Regional Ministers, Members of Parliament, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Traditional Rulers, Security Personnel, Public Servants, Opinion Leaders, the Media and other professionals, workers and farmers - for the work of the Commission during its consultations and public hearings.
"We are chartering new paths in the development of Ghanaian democracy. This is the first time that in a constitutional era, regions are being created under constitutional provisions. The work of this Commission will definitely be one of the landmarks in that journey. History will definitely applaud, I have no doubt, the manner in which this Commission has discharged its historic duty," the President stated.
He acknowledged the Minister for Regional Reorganization and Development, Hon. Dan Kwaku Botwe, Member of Parliament for Okere, for the exhaustive and painstaking contributions he had made to the success of the Commission's work.
On October 19, 2017, President Akufo-Addo inaugurated the 9-Member Commission of Inquiry to inquire into the viability of the creation of new regions which was a campaign promise of the NPP and then Candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2016 elections.
For the creation of the new regions, at least 50% of the persons entitled to vote, must vote in each of the different referenda, and of the votes cast, at least 80% must be in favour of the creation of a region for the demand to succeed.
Source: ISD (Rex Mainoo Yeboah)
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