All six proposed regions meet constitutional threshold requirements – EC

Mrs Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, has said that all six proposed regions in the December 27 Referendum have met the constitutional threshold of 50 per cent voter turnout and 80 per cent voting “Yes”.

Mrs Mensa said this on Friday at a press briefing in Accra to make the results known to the people of Ghana as declared by the six regional returning officers of the proposed regions; Western North, Oti, Ahafo, Bono East, Savannah and North East.

She said Western North had 502,185 registered voters out of which 390,128 cast their votes (the percentage of voter turnout was 77.69 per cent).

She noted that out of the total votes cast, 388,235 (99.51 per cent) voted Yes (in favour of the creation of the new region).

She said 942 (0.24 per cent) voted No (not in favour of the creation of the new region); whilst the rejected ballots were 951 (0.24 per cent).

Mrs Mensa said the percentage of Yes votes for the Western North was 99.51, declaring that the indicator, therefore, showed that Western North passed the test for the creation of a new region.

She said Oti had a total 366,481registered voters; of this number 323,708 cast their votes (88.33 per cent voter turnout).

Out of the number who cast their votes, 319,296 (98.64 per cent) voted Yes and 2,878 voted No (0.89 per cent) while the number of rejected ballots was 951 (0.24 per cent).

Mrs Mensa said with a percentage of 98.64, Oti thus passed the test for the creation of a new region.

With regards to Ahafo, Mrs Mensa said the number of registered voters was 307,108, of which the number of votes cast was 277.663 (90.41 per cent voter turnout).

She said out of the number who cast their votes, 276,763 (99.68 per cent) voted Yes.

She said the number of ‘Nos’ was 675 (0.24 per cent) whereas rejected ballots was 225 (0.08 per cent).

Mrs Mensa said the percentage of 99.68 Yes votes signalled that Ahafo had also passed the test for the creation of a new region.

On Bono East, the Chairperson said the number of registered voters was 525,275, out of which 450,812 (85.82 per cent) cast their votes.

She said the number of persons who voted Yes stood at 448,545 (99.50 per cent); while the number of persons who voted No stood at 1,384 (0.31 per cent); whereas rejected ballots amounts to 883 (0.20 per cent).

“Therefore, the percentage of Yes Votes stands at 99.50 (per cent). And I am happy to announce that Bono East also passed the test.”

Mrs Mensa said Savannah’s registered voter population was 253,566; out of which 207,343 (81.77 per cent) cast their votes.

She said of the number of people who cast their votes, 206,350 voted Yes (99.52 per cent), with those who voted No standing at 647 (0.31 per cent), whereas rejected ballots was 346 (0.17 per cent).

“As such the percentage of Yes Votes stands at 99.52 per cent. I am happy to announce that Savannah also passed the test.”

Mrs Mensa said the number of registered voters in the North East stood at 254,243; of which the votes cast amounted to 205,804 (80.95 per cent).

She said those who voted in favour of the new region amounted to 205,121 (99.67 per cent).

Those who voted No amounted to 447 (0.22 per cent) whilst the rejected ballots was 236 (0.11 per cent).

The percentage of those who voted Yes for North East was 99.67 (per cent), hence, North East Region also passed the test, Mrs Mensa said.

She noted that the results of the referendum would be gazetted, after which it would be presented to the President.