The Ashanti Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) has started the process of creating 185 new electoral areas across the region.

The move, if successful, would increase the number of electoral areas in the region to 1,243 from the existing 1,058.

The Regional Director of the Commission, Serebour Quaicoe, said the new electoral areas were only proposals, as numbers could increase or reduce.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Kumasi, Mr. Quaicoe, indicated that the proposed electoral areas were subject to change after consultations with the local people, saying there was the possibility the people could either reject or change the names of the electoral areas.

The meeting, which was called by the EC, was to brief participants on the importance of the creation of the new electoral areas and collate their inputs for a successful exercise.

It was attended by representatives of political parties, National Commission on Civic Education, National Media Commission, Coalition of Domestic Election Observers, National Youth Authority, district directors of the EC and the media.

Mr. Quaicoe said the exercise would mainly be held in the districts and municipalities, adding that consultations at the local level would begin on August 24 and end on August 31.

He said replacement of lost voter’s identity cards in the region had been suspended until further notice.

He explained that all the equipment used for the replacement of cards had been sent to the Northern Region where a limited registration exercise for the referendum was expected in September.