EC starts process to create new districts

The Electoral Commission (EC) is to embark on field trips soon to assess the feasibility of government’s proposal to create new district assemblies in all the 10 regions.

An internal memo dated October 20, 2017 and signed by the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Mr Samuel Tetteh, said: “The government has proposed the creation of new District Assemblies in all the regions in accordance with Section I of the Local Government Act 2016, Act 936. Section 1 (a) of the same Act, Local Government Act 936, which places the responsibility on the Commission to review and make appropriate recommendations on the proposals.

“Consequently, a team each has been constituted for the ten regions to undertake a field study and submit reports accordingly. Each regional team is led by the commission member responsible for the region.

“The other team members are the head office, directors and some head office senior officers, as well as the regional directors and deputy regional directors of the respective regions.

“Officers of the affected existing/mother districts are also members of the teams in their respective regions.

“Each team is to be guided by the following in their submissions/reports: Population, Geographical or Physical Features, Economic Viability, Ethnicity and Community Interest, Social Infrastructure, Centrality and Accessibility of Capital…” the memo to EC’s regional directors stated.

It will be recalled that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, while addressing the chiefs and people of the Mamprugu Traditional Area in Nalerigu, disclosed his administration’s intention to upgrade six districts in the Northern Region to municipal status.

The field trip will start from October 25 and end on November 10, 2017.