New regions: Justice SA Brobbey chairs 9-member Commission of Inquiry

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated a 9-member Commission of Inquiry to begin the process of collating views for the creation of the proposed three new regions.

The Committee has Justice SA Brobbey, a retired Supreme Court judge, as its Chair.

The members are Dr Grace Bediako, a former government statistician; Maulvi Mohammed Bin- Sale, Ameer, Missionary in-charge of Ahmadiyya Mulsim Mission in Ghana; Prof Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, former Vice Chancellor of the KNUST; Ms Gladys Cillian Naadu, a local governance expert; Mr Robert Ajene, retired Director of Education; Dr David Wellington Essaw, Senior Research Fellow, University of Cape Coast; Prof George Owusu, Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER) and Ms Josephine Hughes, a legal practitioner.

President Akufo-Addo, while inaugurating the Commission earlier today at the Flagstaff House said the creation of new administrative regions is purely demand-driven and an area of common cause shared by the two major political parties.

“There exist significant evidence that the demand for the creation of the new regions was not made to me alone, but also to other political leaders. It is instructive to note that in the course of the 2016 campaign of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition party, the party pledged to facilitate the creation of five new regions had the party been successful at the 2016 elections.

“In the course of the 2016 campaign, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), now ruling party, also pledged the creation of four regions. This clearly demonstrates that there is a unity of minds of the two major parties on the need for the creation of new administrative regions.

“…Indeed, one of the issues that came to the fore during the discussions at the meeting I held here at the Flagstaff House with my predecessors, the three former Presidents of the Republic – Their Excellencies Jerry John Ralwings, John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama – was the substantial demands for the creation of new regions. The issue was discussed at length.

“Since I assumed office, many traditional authorities, civil society organisations and responsible citizens have also voiced their support for the creation of new regions.” The commission is billed to tour the Volta, Western, Northern and the Brong Ahafo Regions, “to inquire into the need and to make recommendations on all the factors involved in the creation of the new regions.”

The matter will then be referred to the Electoral Commission for a referendum to be held according to the recommendations of the Commission.