Tema, Nov. 29, GNA - A total of 182 candidates have filed their nominations with the Tema District Office of the Electoral Commission to contest the forthcoming District Assembly Election slated for December 28, this year.

Out of the number, 157 are males and 25 are females, Mr Gabriel Manu, Tema District Electoral Officer, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Monday.

Mr Manu said the Tema East Constituency had the largest candidates of 76, made up of 65 males and 11 females.

He disclosed that 62 of the nominations, comprising 53 males and nine females were from electoral areas in the Tema West Constituency, while Kpone-Katamanso Constituency had 44 contestants of which 39 are males and five females, who filed by the close of nomination on Saturday, November 27. Mr Manu added that with the creation of the new electoral areas, Tema now had 50 electoral areas as compared to the previous 39. He indicated that Parliament approved the carving of the additional 11 electoral areas from the existing ones, adding that out of the 11, Tema East had only one; Bankuman Electoral Area, bringing its total electoral areas to 18.

Four additional areas; Baatsonaa, Adjei Kojo, Sakumono and Djata Bu Electoral Areas were also carved from the Tema West Constituency, giving it a total of 14 electoral areas. Kpone-Katamanso now has a total of 18 electoral areas due to the addition of six new ones, Akansa, Sraha, Gbetsile, Mlitsakpo, Sebrakpor and Bethlehem.

He said his outfit consulted the public interest groups which included former assembly members, traditional leaders, and unit committee members before the carving and the naming of the new electoral areas were done. Mr Manu said residents in the new areas were being educated on the change by the use of landmarks.

He stated that all the 232 polling stations in the Tema District would be opened for the elections on December 28. Mr Manu entreated the public to have interest and participate in the District Assembly Election, since it was the foundation for the development of the country.

He reminded the electorate that it was their civic responsibility to elect their representatives to the various assemblies to champion their development needs and formulate bye-laws.