Commission of Inquiry begins formal consultations on creation of new regions in BA

Formal consultations on the proposed creation of two new regions from the existing Brong-Ahafo Region has begun with a call on stakeholders to be truthful and open in the discussions to help the Commission of Inquiry into the requests for the creation of new regions make good recommendations to the President.

Members of the commission are consulting the members of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of chiefs and the public through proposals from the chiefs from the Bono East and Ahafo sections of the region.

The commission of Inquiry into the creation of new regions commences its consultations in the region by visiting the Regional House of Chiefs to seek their views on the demand for the creation of two new regions out of the Brong-Ahafo Region.

Follow the law

Speaking before the consultative meeting with the house in Sunyani, the Minister of Regional Re-organisation and Development, Mr Daniel Kwaku Botwe, appealed to the chiefs and the people in the region who were seeking for the creation of new regions to follow the law and the necessary processes guiding the creation of the new regions.

He said the President received six petitions, two from the Brong-Ahafo Region, one each from Western Region and Volta Regions as well as two from Northern Region for consideration.

According to him, the commission was currently working on the six proposals through constitutional means to arrive at its final decision.

Mr Botwe said the government had not given any name or demarcations to the propose regions as well as locations of the regional capitals.

Fact-finding

The Chairman of the Commission, Justice S. A Brobbey, said the consultations were fact-finding that would assist the commission in forming a view on whether there was the need and substantial demand for the creation of the proposed regions.

According to him, there would be final meetings in Accra after the regional public hearings to hear presentations from those who would be unable to appear at the regional hearings but would still want to make presentations on the creation of regions in the region.

Justice Brobbey said the commission would make recommendations to President, based on its findings on the creation and alteration of regions.

Benefits

The President of the Regional house of chiefs, Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V, observed that the creation of two more regions out of the existing one will bring numerous benefits to the citizenry in the region.

Pimampim Kagbrese V explained that the region had a territorial size of 39,557 square kilometers, representing 17 per cent of Ghana’s total land mass which made administration of the region very difficult.

“In fact, our region is the second largest region in the country and we need to create some regions to facilitate administration and movement”, he added.

Pimampim Kagbrese V assured members of the commission of maximum cooperation of the people to its work in the region very successful.

Education

For his part, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, admonished the various traditional authorities to educate the people about the processes involved in the creation of new regions to avoid any misunderstanding and confusion.

Mr Asomah-Cheremeh, said the people in the region had been calling for the creation of another region because of the large side of the existing region.

As of now the commission has held fora at Kajaji, Yeji, Atebubu, Nkoranza and Techiman, all in the Bono East section of the region.

From Tuesday, February 13, this year, the exercise will continue with the commission moving to the Ahafo side of the region to engage the people at Goaso, Sankore, Hwidiem and Bechem.