Ghanaians urged to participate in December referendum

Ghanaians have been urged to participate in the December 17th Referendum to help amend some clauses in the 1992 Constitution in relation to local governance.

Information Officer at the New Juaben North municipality of the Eastern Region, Elizabeth Afia Ansaah, in an interview with Bryt fm news indicated the need for the general populace to partake in the exercise saying, it will give power to ordinary citizens to elect their MMDCEs.

According to her, people in the various districts across the country would therefore have opportunity to put their Chief Executives in check at all times since they have the power to decide who heads a district.

Also, she emphasised on the one concerning politicising Assembly elections, where aspirants are expected to have full support of political parties in sponsoring them.

Madam Afia Ansaah added, her outfit with the support of the Assembly has intensified Town Hall meetings to help educate and broaden the minds of the people ahead of the Referendum to enable the turn out brings about an amendment as expected.

The National Referendum is to enable citizens to vote on the proposed amendment of Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution that currently bars political parties from participating in District Level Elections (DLEs).

The proposed amendment is to introduce multi-party participation in the Local Government system in Ghana as this provision entrenched in the constitution can only be amended if 40% of persons eligible to vote show up and 75% of the voters vote ‘YES’ in favour of the amendment.