New constituencies in Kumasi Clarified

Accra, Dec. 30, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) has given more information on the new constituencies it would create in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area.

A statement the EC faxed to the GNA on Tuesday said the Asokwa East and Asokwa West Constituencies would be merged and split into Asokwa, Asawase and Oforikrom Constituencies with their headquarters at Asokwa, Asawase and Oforikrom in that order.

The other constituencies in the Metropolis that are affected are Bantama that becomes Bantama, Nhyiaeso and Kwadaso while Old Tafo/ Suame becomes Old Tafo and Suame.

The EC on Wednesday December 24 2004 announced that it was in the process of creating 30 new constituencies to bring the total to 230 throughout the country for the 2004 General Election, a press statement EC's Deputy Chairman, Operations, Mr Kwadwo Sarfo-Kantanka signed said.

The Upper East Region gets an additional constituency, bringing its total to 13, while the Upper West Region would have two more to take its tally to 10.

Three additional constituencies are to be added to that of Northern Region to bring its total to 26 and Brong Ahafo also gets three to take its tally to 24.

Six more constituencies are to be added to the 33 in Ashanti to bring its total to 39, while Eastern Region gets two in addition to the existing 26 to take its tally to 28.

The Volta Region would have three new constituencies to bring its total to 22, while Greater Accra Region gets five more to take its tally to 27.

Two new constituencies are to be added to existing 17 in the Central Region to bring its total to 19 while the Western Region would have 22 with the addition of three constituencies.

The statement said the creation of the constituencies, which would be used for subsequent elections, was in line with "Section 5 and 6 of Article 47 of the Fourth Republican Constitution of the Republic of Ghana".

It said "Section 5 states that: 'The Electoral Commission shall review the division of Ghana into constituencies at intervals of not less than seven years, or within twelve months after the holding of a census of the population of Ghana, whichever is earlier and may as a result alter the constituencies.' In accordance with section 6, 'where the boundaries of a constituency established under this article are altered as a result of a review, the alteration shall come into effect upon the next dissolution of Parliament."

"The current review of the constituencies, the Commission wishes to stress, will in no way affect the composition of the current Parliament. Rather all those who will be elected in the 2004 Elections will take their seats in the Parliament that will be inaugurated in January 2005.

" As a result of this review, the commission is in the process of amending the Representation of the People (Parliamentary Constituencies) Instrument, L.I. 1538 to be laid before parliament when it resumes sitting in January, 2004" the statement said.