38 New districts in the offing, 60 Municipalities coming

A Legislative Instrument (LI) was laid in Parliament on Thursday for the creation of 38 new districts.

Some other districts have also been elevated to municipal status.

The LI, which was laid in Parliament by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, will mature within 21 sitting days.

New districts

The creation of the new municipalities and districts involves the elevation and realignment of some municipalities and districts.

The list of new districts include Ahafo Ano South West, Ahafo Ano South East, Amansie South, Amansie West, Atwima Nwabiagya North, Adansi South, Akrofruom, Adansi North, Adansi Asokwa, Obuasi East, Afigya Kwabre South and Afigya Kwabre North, all in the Ashanti Region.

In the Brong Ahafo Region, the new districts are Pru West, Pru East and Berekum West.

For Central Region, Assin North, Gomoa Central, Gomoa East and Asene Manso are the new districts to be created.

The districts to be created in the Eastern Region are Okere, Atiwa West, Atiwa East, Fanteakwa South and Fanteakwa North.

For the Northern Region, Nanton, Bunkpurugu and Yunyoo constitute the new districts.

The Bolgatanga East, Garu and Tempane districts are to be created in the Upper East Region.

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New municipalities

Among the new municipalities to be created are Oforikrom, Kwadaso, Old Tafo, Asokwa, Juaben, Ejisu and Atwima Nwabiagya, all in the Ashanti Region.

Berekum East is the only municipality to be created in the Brong Ahafo Region.

For Central Region, we have only the Assin Fosu muncipality.

In the Eastern Region, New Juaben South, New Juaben North, Birim Central, Abuakwa South, Abuakwa North and Akwapim North form the new municipalities.

The Okaikwei, Ablekuma North, Ablekuma West, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso North, Ayawaso West, Ga West, Ga North, Weija, Ga South, Tema West, Krowor and Ledzokuku are the new municipalities in the Greater Accra Region.

Savelugu, Bolgatanga and Effia Kwesimintsim are the new municipalities in the Northern, Upper East and Western regions, respectively.

Elevated

Twenty-eight other existing districts have been elevated to municipal status.

They are Asante Akim South, Ahafo Ano North and Kwabre East in the Ashanti Region.

For Brong Ahafo, Atebubu Amantim, Tano North, Tano South and Jaman South, while Kwaebibirem in the Eastern Region, have been elevated.

 In Greater Accra, only Kpone Katamanso has been elevated to a municipal status, with Sagnerigu, Nanumba North, East Mamprusi, West Mamprusi, East Gonja and Gushiegu, all in the Northern Region, also elevated.

Jirapa, Lawra and Sissala East are the elevated municipalities in Upper West, while Krachi East, Ketu North and Nkwanta South, all in the Volta Region, are to be elevated.

In the Western Region, Bibiani-Anhiawso-Bekwai, Jomoro, Prestea-Huni Valley, Aowin, Wassa Amenfi West, Wassa Amenfi East and Ahanta West are to be elevated.

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Minister's explanation

Speaking with journalists, Hajia Mahama said the creation of the new municipalities and districts was to deepen the country's democratic dispensation and the decentralisation system.

She said there were districts that had grown, with some of them doubling their population, since the start of the district assembly concept in 1988.

"The essence of local government is to ensure that the people participate in the governance process and feel part of the  process," she said.

She said districts that were big had been divided into more districts.

For example, she said, the Savelugu-Nanton municipality was to be split into the Savelugu municipality and the Nanton District.

Dynamics

Hajia Mahama said municipalities had certain population categories and indicated that the attainment of municipal status facilitated access to resources.

She said the elevation of districts to municipalities would help those places to focus on development.

"Within the metropolises, some have grown big and the President thought that we should carve parts out and make them municipalities," she said.

The minister said the government had not created any district that would necessitate the creation of a new constituency.

She said the President had the mandate to create municipalities and districts, while the Electoral Commission (EC) created constituencies.

"But the law is that you cannot have one constituency divided into two districts. We have followed the law on that," she said.