Current economy cannot support creation of more constituencies – ChaLoG

President of the Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG), Dr. Richard Fiademor kicked against any move that will see the creation of more constituencies saying it will be financially imprudent.

This comment comes after earlier media reports that the Electoral Commission had planned to create 25 more constituencies after the Commission laid a Constitutional Instrument and Regulation for the creation of Guan constituency for residents of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe otherwise known as SALL on Tuesday.

But the EC has clarified that it has no intention of creating 25 new constituencies across the country.

In a statement signed by the Ag. Head, Public Affairs of EC, Michael Boadu indicated that the Commission has not taken any decision on creating constituencies beyond that of the Guan ahead of the 2024 general election .

Speaking in an interview on Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV Wednesday, the President of ChaLoG, Dr. Fiademor stated that even if the EC had plans of creating more constituencies, the current struggling state of the country’s economy cannot support such a move.

“I’ve have heard that the EC is denying planning to create 25 more constituencies. Even if they had such intention the economy of the country cannot and will not support such an exercise. Clearly, nobody can stop the EC from creating more constituencies but they cannot create more constituencies looking at the current mess we have ourselves as far as the economy is concerned. Let’s separate the mandate of the EC and look at economic, moral and social aspect of creating new constituencies.”

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 laid a Constitutional Instrument and Regulation in Parliament for the creation of Guan constituency for residents of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe otherwise known as SALL.

Majority leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu today laid Representation of the People (Parliamentary Constituencies) (Amendment) Instrument, 2023 and District Electoral Areas and Designation of Units (Amendment) Regulation aimed at given birth to the Guan constituency.

Residents of the communities were not allowed to vote in the 2020 which has left them without an MP ever since.

Speaking to the development after the papers were laid, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin welcomed the move which according to him will cure what he describes as a cardinal sin against the people of SALL.

“Honorable Members the Representation of the People’s Parliamentary Constituencies Amendment 2023 is referred to the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation for consideration and report to the House.

“This is the Instrument that is likely to save this house and forgive them for the cardinal sin, we are said to have committed. It deals with the issue of the SALL and a number of them have now come up for consideration at the house,” Mr. Bagbin stated.