Broad consultations will determine capital towns for new regions – Minister

Mr Dan Botwe, the Minister of Regional Re-organisation and Development, has said government would rely on extensive consultations to determine capital towns for the proposed additional regions to be created in the country.

Also, the Minister said government would have no influence in the naming of the new regions, expected to be carved out, from Brong-Ahafo, Western, Volta and Northern Regions as well.

Responding to a question at a media sensitisation workshop in Sunyani on the intended new regions to be created, Mr Botwe advised the media to highlight and educate the citizenry on the constitutional processes involved in the creation of the regions.

He said the naming of the regions and their capital towns would also go through similar consultative processes, saying as a listening government, the Ministry would actively engage professionals and relevant key stakeholders in that regard.

The Districts and Municipal Directors of the Information Service Department (ISD) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Brong-Ahafo Region also attended the workshop which was organised by the Ministry.

Mr Botwe said the government’s intention to create the additional regions was not to score political marks, but an implementation of a constitutional provision which is based on need, and substantial demand of Ghanaians.

He said currently the Commission of Enquiry set up by the government is studying the basis and significance of petitions from the Council of Ahafo Chiefs and the Coalition of Chiefs in Bono East which are spearheading the creation of the Ahafo and Bono East regions respectively.

“We cannot force the creation of the new regions on anybody”, Mr Botwe said, explaining that his Ministry was just facilitating the processes.

Mr Botwe said until the constitutionally required voter turnout in the referendum is met, the creation of the regions would be impossible.

He said education on the processes must be intensified so that, at least not only the required 50 per cent of the voting population would be obtained in the referendum, but the 80 percent voter turnouts would also be met.

Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, said the region deserved to be divided so as to facilitate rapid socio-economic development and job creation.