A former Attorney General in the erstwhile Rawlings administration, Dr Obed Asamoah, has cautioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against any attempt to oppose ongoing processes for the creation of new regions in the country.
He said it would be politically suicidal for the biggest opposition party to be seen as the source of recent agitations against the constitutional processes to carve out the proposed Oti Region out of the Volta Region.
“It would be counter-productive and politically costly for the NDC to be seen to be against the creation of Oti Region,” the one-time National Chairman of the NDC stated at a press conference over the weekend, warning that his NDC colleagues should not be the cause of a bitter and messy opposition against the creation of the Oti Region .
Party discipline
According to him, those who see a parochial agenda by the Akufo-Addo government in the constitutional exercise ought to be reminded of the fact that former President John Mahama, during the 2016 electioneering campaign, committed the NDC to the creation of Oti Region and as such both NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) must ensure party discipline.
Controversy is brewing over who is entitled to vote in the scheduled referendum to decide the creation of the proposed Oti Region as recommended by the Justice Brobbey Commission of Enquiry, which investigated petitions demanding new regions in parts of the country, including one at the northern enclave of the Volta Region.
Whereas the Electoral Commission has set in motion processes for the conduct of referendum in the affected areas based on the recommendations, the process in the Oti enclave of the Volta Region has been greeted with opposition from some prominent individuals and groups from the southern part of the Volta Region, who are calling for the participation of all eligible voters in the region in the referendum.
Reacting, however, to such demands during a media interaction at his residence at Likpe in the Hohoe municipality, Dr Asamoah said it was unconstitutional for the entirety of the Volta Region to participate in the referendum.
According to him, the framers of the 1992 Constitution were explicit about the provisions for the creation of a region, which mandated a referendum base on a petition, a procedure the people of the Oti enclave had duly met.
He thus described as grossly misconceived, the position of people outside the affected area to participate in the referendum when the petition did not emanate from them.
Sankrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL)
The veteran politician also applauded the inclusion of Sankrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) traditional areas in the proposed region, stating it would fast track development in the area.
He said the inclusion of SALL would bring about a new district for the four traditional areas, as a natural consequence of the coming into being of the Oti Region and called on citizens of the area to actively engage in the referendum, which would leave a better legacy for posterity.
Source: Graphic.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
@Nana Kofi. Nobody expects everyone in the carved ares to be called Oti to vote YES. Nana, canvass for a NO vote so the current Volta Region will remain the same if NO wins. Western, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions are the other regions going through the same procedure to create new regions but they are not complaining. Does it mean they are idii00ts or unpatriotic to their mother regions?? The Constitution cannot be changed for your sake. The former Upper Region was carved from the Northern Region and the present Upper West from the former Upper Region and they all went through the same procedure Togbe Afede, you and your friends are fighting against. Be law abiding for once wai.
***barred word***, you obed, all your age mates have died, please when will you die?? die oo die aabaaah
Obed is a very dishounest person we the people of Lolobi and Akpafu Traditional Areas did not petition to join the Oti region. We want to be part and parcel of the current Hohoe Municipality. Obed and co tell the world, is dismantling and moving communities from one district to another without parlimentary approval part of the mandate and terms of reference to Justice Brobbey Commission. ***barred word*** and stop this silly behaviour, you cannot speak for the people of Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas,
Well weather ndc likes it or not those regions will be created for development and NPP we will use them to win more votes in 2020 to show the INCOMPETENT ONE how to rule but not WOYOMIZE tactics. NDC YAAMUTU NDC YAAMUTU NDC YAAMUTU NDC YAAMUTU NDC YAAMUTU
Please OBED advise the soo call TOGBE AFEDE who sees every good intensions of NPP governments as evil
Now true NDC is beginning to come out. Oti has been deceived for long. Obed Asamoah and his group have been suppressed for long.This is the opportune time for freedom and liberation. I am very certain that with this resistance from Togbe Afedzi and his like, the the turn out for the separation will be enormous in OTi region than all the other places. Unlike the other place which might be soley for development for Oti it will be also for liberation from oppression of the southners.
Why didn't you and your (P)NDC create the regions when you were in power if you know it is a good thing to do? You guys were busy stealing state cash........
You are a true democrat and an astute politician.
Dr Asamoah is fighting for his own interest.
They want to come home, probable they can be shelved under the mighty Ashanti's.