By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA
Cape Coast, Oct. 23, GNA - Information Officers and Commentators have been asked to work assiduously in collaboration with stakeholders to effectively educate Ghanaians on the upcoming District Level Elections (DLE) and the referendum.
Ghana would on Tuesday, December 17 hold a constitutional Referendum on the proposed amendments of the entrenched provision of its constitution to allow for the direct election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and allow political parties to participate in local level elections.
The proposed changes would require the amendment of article 243 (1), which states the appointment of MMDCEs by the President and 55(3), which bans political party activity in district level elections.
Mrs. Manacia Asamoah, Central Regional Director of the Information Service Department (ISD) said it was important for citizens to be adequately informed on the implications of a “Yes or a No” vote during the referendum.
She was speaking at a day’s training workshop for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Information Officers (MMDIOs) and commentators to equip them with the requisite message and skills necessary for educating the public on the elections.
It was the mandate of information officers to help stop the general apathy towards the DLE by informing the public about the reasons for the referendum to encourage massive voter turnout, she explained.
The Service, she noted had a difficult task of disabusing the minds of some Ghanaians about perceived disadvantages of electing MDCEs and get them to appreciate the whole process and take part in the exercise.
She urged the officers to have an upper hand information, understand the concept and package the message in clear, concise and simple terms for people to understand and come out in their numbers to vote.
Mrs. Asamoah said the initiative to have MMDCEs elected had received immense support from Civil Society, political parties, faith-based organisations, Traditional authorities and many Ghanaians.
A 75 percent “Yes” would only affirm the quest of Ghanaians to have their MMDCEs elected to among others give power to the locals to elect their own leaders, to fully decentralise the local government system, set in motion to help grow smaller parties and to avert a possible two party state, whereas a “No” vote would maintain the status quo.
Mr. Thomas Adjei Baffoe, Deputy Central Regional Minister said government was passionate and committed to the exercise and appealed to the information officers to educate the electorates to come out with much enthusiasm to vote “Yes’.
He said electing MMDCEs would take away the winner takes all practice and further deepen the country’s decentralisation structures.
GNA
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS