Less than 40% participation in D/A election not good – Minister

Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Dan Botwe has bemoaned the low participation of Ghanaians in District Assembly election over the years.

According to him, the less than 40% percent national average participation in the election which is the national average is not good enough.

Speaking on Ghana Kasa on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV Wednesday, Hon. Dan Botwe said efforts are underway to ensure that the figure increases to about 50% percent participation as District Assembly and Unit Committee elections are the foundation of Ghana’s democracy.

He noted that though Ghanaians are interested in the district level election, the interest is not as much as it is in the national elections.

“For previous elections, the turnout has been below 40% which is the national average. But in the small towns and villages, the participation is very high. We have 6300 electoral areas across the country as compared to 275 parliamentary seats. We will be voting in all the same 38,000 polling stations we use during generation elections.

“he issue is that because it is not partisan, the total party machinery that mobilizes people to vote during general election is lacking. Because with this one, it’s the individual who will have to mobilize people to go and vote for him. The interest is much higher in the small towns and villages, where aspirants are busily campaigning and having their posters and banners all over the place and also organizing keep fit exercises to whip up interest and also have more votes.”

The Minister urged the media to whip up the interest of the public in the local elections by massively publicizing the exercise.

The District Assembly election will take place on December 19, 2023.