Encourage citizens to participate in referendum - NCCE urges religious, traditional leaders

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) last Wednesday urged religious and traditional leaders in the Northern Region to encourage citizens to actively participate in the upcoming District Level Elections (DLEs) and referendum for constitutional amendment.

The Northern Regional Director of the NCCE, Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani, said this at the launch of a public sensitisation and awareness creation campaign on the elections and referendum for the amendment of Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution which is scheduled for December 17, 2019.

He said citizens’ active participation in the exercise would ensure the election of competent leaders who would be accountable and drive sustainable development.

Participants

The participants were drawn from traditional authorities, religious leaders, representatives from the Ghana Education Service (GES), Civil Society Organisations (CSO), Persons with Disability (PWDs), youth groups, and political parties.

Throwing more light on the need for a Yes Vote, the Secretary to the NCCE, Mr Kojo Tito, said Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution gave the President the mandate to appoint metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) with two-thirds majority approval from the assembly.

That, he said, needed to be amended to enhance inclusive democratic governance and transformational development.

He explained that Article 55 (3) was an entrenched clause and could only be amended with public approval in a national referendum, hence the need for Ghanaians to vote massively on December 17.

He said research was conducted by the NCCE in 2014, which revealed that majority of the citizenry preferred that MMDCEs were elected, hence the referendum.

Mr Tito said the DLEs and the referendum would require citizens to vote on three issues: the election of Unit Committee members, Assembly members and to Vote "Yes" or "No" for the participation of political parties in the election of MMDCEs.

He said at least 40 per cent or more out of the total registered voters must turn out to vote, out of which 75 per cent or more must vote in favour of the referendum.

The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed, in a speech read on his behalf, said the referendum was the government’s vision to enhance and strengthen the decentralisation system at the district level and urged participants to carry out the message to help make the vision a reality. - GNA