Conduct bye-elections in affected MMDAs - Presiding Member

Mr. Alexis Ayamdor Azitariga, presiding member of the Bongo District Assembly has said the failure of the Electoral Commission (EC) to organize bye-elections for the Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAS) sabotages the local governance system in the Country.

He said the EC had failed to live up to its responsibility and called on all stakeholders and communities to insist on their representation at MMDA's.

This was contained in a press release signed by the Mr. Azitariga to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga.

He said the mandate of the EC as enshrined in the 1992 constitution Article 45(c) which states in part, “to conduct and supervise all public elections and referenda”, had not been observed in some MMDA's that had faced similar situations of deaths, revocation, recall or resignation among others, as spelt out in local governance act 1993.

Mr. Azitariga, who is also a development worker, said two assembly members of the Bongo District Assembly who died two years ago were not replaced till the assembly was dissolved.

He said the current assembly witnessed the death of a member from the Anafobiisi Electoral Area shortly after the inauguration of the assembly, but no bye-election was held though the EC had been notified.

He said this is not the case with Members of Parliament, who even before their burials, the EC with enthusiasm arranges and holds bye-elections as was in the case of the recent death of the MP for Wulensi.

He said the denial of communities, and need for their representation at these structures cannot be overemphasized and any attempt to deny them their rights to having access to the national cake through their representation cannot be accepted.**