The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama is disappointed in the National House of Chiefs over its public calls for a NO vote in the December 17, national referendum.
Speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News, Hajia Mahama said she would have prefered the National House of Chiefs forwarded its concerns straight to the government.
“I think it is unfortunate. For me, for a person of the standing of the National House of Chiefs [President], on a matter like this, he could have gone to talk to the President to advise [him]. He could have called me… I don’t think it was the best mode to come out like that.”
She also expressed concern that the National House of Chiefs’ stance could be construed as partisan especially since the National Democratic Congress had come out against a YES vote in the referendum.
The December 17 referendum is to decide on a possible amendment of Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution to enable political parties to sponsor candidates for local level elections.
The outcome will have either of the following outcomes: If the electorate votes YES, the election of MMDCEs, Assembly and Unit Committee Members in the near future will be on a partisan basis.
If they vote NO, then the election of these candidates for the local level elections will be on a non-partisan basis as being practised now.
The House of Chiefs in a statement issued and signed by its President, Togbe Afede XIV, argued that decentralisation would negatively be affected by the control of local parties if a YES vote dominates the referendum.
But the Local Government Minister was not enthused about the position by the National House of Chiefs.
She also took on the opposition National Democratic Congress which is also aggressively advocating for a NO vote.
“If you look at the background that the NDC had just come out with at the press conference, they said there should be no vote and within two or three days, this came out, It would look like that you are toeing a certain line,” the Local Government Minister stated.
Hajia Mahama felt the NDC was showing bad faith in its opposition to a YES vote in the upcoming referendum.
The NDC is advocating for a NO vote because it is worried that the amendment will open district assemblies and unit committees to “the needless NDC-NPP polarisation.”
“The conclusion was always that let us vote for MMDCEs on a partisan basis. And in Parliament, it was the same thing at the committee and on the Floor of Parliament… for them to now go and change their mind, it is a lack of good faith on the matter.”
More than half of Ghanaians not aware of referendum – Afrobarometer survey
Close to 60 percent of Ghanaians say they are not aware of the upcoming referendum on December 17, a new Afrobarometer survey has indicated.
The Constitution requires a minimum 40 percent voter turnout for the referendum to be valid.
But the survey indicated that there is a risk of low voter turnout for this referendum because it will be conducted together with local government elections, which have historically attracted less than 40 percent of registered voters.
The post House of Chiefs’ call for NO vote unfortunate – Local Gov’t Minister appeared first on Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana, Current Affairs, Business News , Headlines, Ghana Sports, Entertainment, Politics, Articles, Opinions, Viral Content.
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