Electoral Commission sets in motion electoral demarcation process

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday announced a programme under which it would sensitise Ghanaians on constitutional provisions governing the demarcation of new electoral areas.

Mr Henry Okyne, EC Director of Public Affairs, told the media in an interview that drawing of new electoral boundaries is a sensitive issue to politicians and chiefs fro which a lot of education has to be done before it was carried out.

The sensitisation process will start with a launch in Accra on October 16. The regional programme starts from Bolgatanga and Sekondi on October 18, Tamale and Cape Coast, October 19, Kumasi, October 22, Koforidua and Wa, October 24, Ho, October 25, and Sunyani, October 26.

After the nation-wide programme the EC would have a "comprehensive assessment of requests for the creation of new constituencies, districts or electoral areas".

Mr Okyne said the EC has received a number of memoranda relating to the creation of new electoral areas. "Politicians, chiefs and the media need to understand rules relating to the creation of new electoral areas."

He said the constitutional provision mandating the EC to create electoral boundaries for both national and local government elections states that: "The number of inhabitants of the constituency should be nearly equal to the population quota."

The population quota should also be considered with "Communication, geographical features, population density, area and boundaries".

Mr Okyne said the Constitution mandates the EC to review existing demarcation at intervals of not less than seven years or within 12 months after having a national population census.

He said any review of the electoral boundaries should come into effect upon the next dissolution of Parliament.

The EC Public Affairs Director stated that after the sensitisation meeting with stakeholders, the Commission would organise consultative meetings with interested groups and individuals, who have submitted request for the creation of new boundaries.

Mr Okyne expressed concern about the inability of the National Census Secretariat to submit the final figures of the population of the country after the last census.