General News of Sunday, 3 January 2021

Source: rainbownradioonline.com

The silence of NCCE, Peace Council, others on SALL not good - Kweku Azar

Private legal practitioner Prof Kweku Asare Private legal practitioner Prof Kweku Asare

Private legal practitioner Prof Kweku Asare popularly called Prof Kweku Azar has reiterated the need for eligible voters in Satrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) to vote for a member of parliament before the inauguration of the 8th Parliament.

The outspoken lawyer wondered why the Peace Council, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the media and other institutions have remained silent over the issue.

“The silence of the Council of State, Peace Council, CHRAJ, NCCE, Chieftaincy, Media, etc. is evidence that our institutions only react when victims take to the streets.

Our institutions cannot feel the pain of victims. They only exist to tell protesting victims to fall in line.”

The lawyer had argued that the decision by the Electoral Commission (EC) to prevent the voters from voting in the parliamentary ction breached the 1992 Constitution.

He had also described it as a “constitutional crisis”, adding the only way to resolve the issue would be to allow them to chose a Legislator to represent them before the 8th Parliament is inaugurated on January 6, 2020.

Eligible voters in SALL were prevented from voting in the December 7 parliamentary elections because when the government began a process to carve Oti Region out of the Volta Region, the people of SALL protested that they wanted to remain in Hohoe, which is in the Volta Region.

The government did not grant them that wish.

After the creation of Oti Region, SALL was included to the region, although Hohoe, their mother district and the constituency they wish to be identified with, remained in the Volta Region.

In the lawyer’s latest position on the matter, he said the residents have been gravely injured by the refusal of the EC to make them vote for an MP.

Read his post below

Without the full conclave of MPs-elect, the “Habemus Speaker” proclamation on January 7, at 12:01AM or soon thereafter as the clerk may be heard, will ring hollow.

The silence of the Council of State, Peace Council, CHRAJ, NCCE, Chieftaincy, Media, etc. is evidence that our institutions only react when victims take to the streets.

Our institutions cannot feel the pain of victims. They only exist to tell protesting victims to fall in line.

#SALL has been gravely injured. There must be swift accountability.

Da Yie!