45 New Constituencies Created

Reports reaching peacefmonline indicate that the Electoral Commission (EC) has added 45 more constituencies to the existing 230 following the creating of new districts by the government.

Peacefmonline understands that the new 45 constituencies were created using a formula that did not discriminate against any region.

Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, at a closed door meeting with Parliamentarins on Friday evening, released the new constituencies, though the Minority strongly protested questioning the creation of the new constituencies.

They demanded to know what went into the creation of the new constituencies.

The EC Boss explained that the formula used puts the population of Ghana at nine with one land mass, thus each region's population was divided by nine.

Dr Afari-Gyan touted the strategy as reliable and equitable.

Article 47(5) of the 1992 Constitution mandates the EC to “review the division of Ghana into constituencies at intervals of not less than seven years, or within 12 months after the publication of the enumeration figures after holding of a census of the population of Ghana, whichever is earlier, as may, as a result, alter constituencies”.

Following the additional constituencies created, Central Region increased by 4 more constituencies from 19 to 23; Eastern Region increased by five more constituencies from 28-33, whilst the Greater Accra Region increased by 7 more constituencies from 27-34.

The Ashanti Region increased from 39 to 47; eight more constituencies. Volta Region has increased from 22 to 26, the same as Western Region.

The Northern Region increased by 5 more constituencies, from 26-31; with the Brong Ahafo also experiencing an increase of five constituencies from 24-29.

In the Upper East Region, two more constituencies have been created, putting the figure at 15, with the figure for Upper West Region increasing by one from 10-11.

Meanwhile, about 13,628,817 voters were registered during the biometric voter registration exercise with over one million likely to be expunged because they do not have valid codes.

But the total number is expected to shoot up after the biometric exercise takes place in Akuse.

The area was exempted from the exercise because of legal issues over whether the EC had the mandate to bring Akuse under Greater Accra Region.

However, the Supreme Court, by a unanimous decision on Wednesday, declared as procedurally unconstitutional the placement of Akuse boundary as part of Dangme West District, now Shai Osudoku in the Greater Accra Region. Hence, Akuse still remains under the Eastern Region.