EC To Make Temporary U-Turn On Creation Of Guan Constituency, SALL Areas Still In Limbo

• The Electoral Commission (EC) has requested the withdrawal of the CI on the creation of the Guan constituency
• It cited inadequate time to meet a constitutionally mandated 21-day period before Parliament's recess
• An assembly man from the Guan District complained about these developments to YEN.com.gh

The Electoral Commission (EC) has requested the withdrawal of the CI for the creation of the Guan constituency.

It has explained that there is insufficient time to meet a constitutionally mandated 21-day period before Parliament's recess.

The constituency, with Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi, was intended to allow residents to participate in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu confirmed the EC's withdrawal request and said the district-level election influenced the decision.

He said there was a need to align the constituency creation with the election process.

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Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson disagreed with the EC's decision, saying the district-level election for the Guan constituency could be held after the election of assembly members for other constituencies.

The EC had also planned to replace ID cards for the constituents of Guan in preparation for the 2024 general elections.

Guan will comprise the SALL areas, formerly under Hohoe, before the creation of the Oti Region.

Discontent from SALL areas

The Assemblyman for Santrokofi Gbodome and Bume electoral area in the Guan district, Philip Adom, expressed displeasure with the recent reports.

He told YEN.com.gh that residents in the area would kick against such a move.

“Any plans of the EC to try and withdraw the CI again is something we would want to resist.”

Adom also complained that the EC had not been properly engaging people in the SALL areas.

"We are the people that the thing is affecting, so you should be getting to the doorstep to the people and explain certain things to us because we have questions. Unfortunately, that is not happening.”

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CSO urges citizens to challenge EC

CARE GHANA charged citizens to take an interest in the concerns raised about the voter registration exercise.

Addo told YEN.com.gh that citizens could also pursue legal action because of the concerns about disenfranchisement.

The group also believes the EC is undermining the decentralisation efforts with its actions.

IMANI President blasts EC

IMANI Africa's President, Franklin Cudjoe, criticised the EC's conduct during the limited voter registration exercise.

Cudjoe described the EC as lawless when commencing the limited voter registration exercise.

The IMANI Africa boss also complained that the EC has refused to listen to recommendations.

The NDC sued the EC because it had restricted the upcoming voter registration exercise to its district offices.

The Convention People's Party, the All People's Congress, the Liberal Party of Ghana and the Great Consolidated Popular Party joined the NDC in the lawsuit.

Source: YEN.com.gh