Creation of new regions to rig elections - Joseph Yieleh Chireh

The main rationale behind government’s decision to create additional six regions from existing ten is to rig future elections, former Local Government Minister under the previous administration alleged.

“The Akufo-Addo led government’s decision to create more regions is politically aiming to achieve electoral advantage”, on Joseph Yieleh Chireh stated.

"It is unnecessary and useless if government says it wants to ensure the regions have rapid development", the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker for Wa West in the Upper West Region took a swipe at the government.

Members of Council of State unanimously have informed President Akufo-Addo that there is substantial demand for the creation of new regions to make sixteen regions.

The Council has, therefore, advised the President to appoint a Commission of Inquiry to investigate and to make recommendations on all the factors involved in the creation of the new regions.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in their 2016 manifesto promised to create regions from Volta, Western, Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions to ensure massive development there.

Speaking after meeting with President Akufo-Addo on the 15th of August, 2017, the former Local Government Minister under Mills’ administration said the government just wants to fulfil its campaign promise made to the people and therefore out of place to create more regions.

But Minister of Regional Reorganisation and Development, Dan Kwaku Botwe disagrees with the assertion in the wake of claims the altering of the country’s boundaries are unilaterally done.

According to him, plans by the current government to create six more regions from existing ones will be done in accordance with provisions of the 1992 Constitution.

“Our mandate as a country is rooted in the Constitution of Ghana in article 5 which provides that we can alter the boundaries of the countries. It has given us the laid down procedures as to how we can follow in order to alter the boundaries of the country”, he revealed in an interview with Accra-based Okay Fm.

He cited instances where some experts were even proposing that the country should have 20 administrative regions indicating that plans to carve 6 regions from others is in the right direction and not done without due processes.

“Article 5:2 of the Constitution gives the president the power to either direct for the creation of new regions or through petition but he has decided to opt for the latter which why he has forwarded it to the Council of State for advice”, he explained.