In order to ensure that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo fulfills their demand for the creation of a new region, the Ahafo Council of Chiefs has taken up the challenge to sensitize the citizenry on the need for the Ahafo region.
President Nana Akufo-Addo took a step closer to fulfilling the demand for the creation of four new regions by constituting a nine member Commission of Inquiry to inquire into the need for the creation of the regions.
The Commission is headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, S.A. Brobbey.
The work of the committee, if successful, will require the Electoral Commission to organize a referendum to give meaning to the demand for the creation of the regions.
Article 5 (4) of the 1992 constitution states “where a commission of inquiry appointed under clause (2) and (3) of this article finds that there is the need and a substantial demand for the creation, alteration or merger referred to in either of those clauses, it shall recommend to the President that a referendum be held, specifying the issues to be determined by the referendum and the places where the referendum should be held.”
One of the regions that is being earmarked for a split in line with the ongoing process is the Brong Ahafo.
The process is intended to split the region into Ahafo and Bono regions.
To ensure the process is successful, a 9-Member Communication team will soon start sensitizing the populace on the need for the region, processes that would be followed and the need for them to turn up in their numbers during the referendum.
In an interview with the Daily Statesman, Nana Owusu Antwi, Secretary of Ahafo Council of Chiefs, who is also a member of the committee, said the move was in fulfillment of the challenge thrown to them by the President when they recently paid a courtesy call on him.
“He made it clear that we have a huge responsibility relative to the work of the commission of inquiry and that of the referendum. So he asked us to go back and educate our people so that when it’s time for the commission of inquiry, we can give a helping hand to them and when it’s time for the referendum as well,” he indicated.
Nana Owusu Antwi also indicated that the work of the committee is particularly important because of the requirements for the referendum.
Article 5 (6) of the 1992 constitution states “an issue referred for determination by referendum under clauses (4) and (5) shall not be taken to be determined by the referendum unless at least fifty percent of the persons entitled to vote cast their votes at the referendum, and of the votes cast at least eighty percent were cast in favour of that issue.”
The Secretary to the Ahafo Council of Chiefs said the committee has 18 months to ensure that President Nana Akufo-Addo’s efforts towards to creating the Ahafo region succeeds.
“For our side as the Central Communication Committee, we would make sure that we send the messages to people. Everybody in Ahafo should be aware of the processes so that nobody is left out,” he stated
Nana Owusu Antwi added that the committee was also setting up district and traditional council committees in collaboration of Municipal and District Chief Executives and Chiefs to ensure the message goes down to everyone.
“For now the central communication committee is also in charge of designing flags, colours, logos, emblems and getting slogans for the region so that at every radio station and community centres, these slogans are going to be played to send messages to the people that the region has come to stay and that we have a responsibility relative to the referendum and other activities,” he emphasized.
He revealed that the committee had also been tasked to start processes to identify a suitable capital for the Ahafo region.
<<Print>>