PLEASE CALL THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO
ORDER
We have reasons to believe, after our painstaking
checks, that the Electoral Commission (EC) is
resolute in its decision to further entrench the
illegality it has perpetuated all this while by
treating the Natriku electoral area at Akuse as part
of the Osudoku District in the Greater Accra Region
instead of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of
the Eastern Region.
This is a clear breach of (Article 5) of the 1992
Constitution and a blatant disregard for the
authority and rulings of no less a court but the
Supreme Court. What is more? The EC would also
not go by the directives of the Local Government
Ministry to hold the assembly election in the
Natriku electoral area under Lower Manya Krobo.
The Constitution is explicit on the step by step
approach to changing regional boundaries and yet
the Ministry of Local Government, together with the
EC and strangely, Parliament have made rather sad
attempts to do this without recourse to the law, an
action that seems to have embolden the EC to
continue treating the electoral area in question,
originally an electoral area in Lower Manya Krobo
in the Eastern Region, as part of the Shai Osudoku
District in the Greater Accra Region.
It is quite amazing, to say the least, watching the
EC do this and planning to repeat that illegal act
even in this upcoming assembly elections slated for
March 3, 2015. We are left wondering what the
motivation is especially when the LI 1983 has been
declared null and void by the Supreme Court,
followed by several such rulings all in favour of the
people of Manya Krobo.
In a democratic country like Ghana where the rule
of law must not only work but seen to be working,
actions like these are certainly not the best of
precedents and even more so when persons and
institutions that should be checking these seem to
be looking on unconcerned.
Sincerely, as far as this issue is concerned (and to
us as Krobos), the constitution of the land is fast
becoming a mere book of advice and it is only
appropriate that since nobody is giving us a
listening ear, we bring it to your attention again as
the President of the Republic in the hope that you
will cause the right thing to be done. Attached is a
copy of our most recent letter to you on the
subject.
We trust that you will give us attention.
Yours sincerely
Henking A. Adjase-Kodjo
Director of Commutations
Tell: 0266 000 ...
Email: klonobi2007@gmail.com
CC: The Chief Justice
The Speaker of Parliament
The Executive Secretary to the President
The Konor, Manya Krobo Traditional Council
The Commissioner, Electoral Commission
The Minster, Ministry of Local Government and
Rural Development
The Inspector General of Police, Ghana Police
Service
The Minister, Eastern Region
The Secretary, National Peace Council
The Regional Commander, Ghana Police Service
The District Commander, Ghana Police Service,
Akuse
The Chief Executive, Lower Manya Krobo Municipal
Assembly
The Member of Parliament, Lower Manya Krobo
Mr. Godfred Dame-Yeboah, Akufo Addo and
Prempeh Chambers
Akuse Matse, Asada Ahor I
The President, Manyaklo Foundation
The Chairman, New Patriotic Party (NPP)
The Chairman, National Democratic Congress
(NDC)
All Krobo Youth Groups
Background information:
In 2010, a Parliamentary Sub Legislation
Committee, acting on the Local Government
Instrument 2010, LI 1983 (Creation of New District
Electoral Areas and Designation of Units) illegally
aligned seven (7) Electoral Areas - Zongo New
Town, Akutue, Osorkutu, Bungalow, Amedeka,
Salon and Natriku- at Akuse, originally part of the
Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern
Region to the Dangme West District (Now Shai-
Osudoku District) in the Greater Accra Region,
sparking off a boundary dispute that led to the
suspension of the assembly election in the entire
Lower Manya Krobo municipality.
Subsequent to that, attempts were made by the EC
during the 2010 District Assembly Election to rope
in the candidates of the seven disputed Electoral
Areas into the Assembly elections under the
Dangme West District, leading to a near bloody
attack and months-long closure of the EC’s office
in the Manya Krobo District.
As a result, the Manya Krobo Traditional Council
secured an injunction to restrain the EC from
conducting the elections in the entire Manya Krobo
Municipality, rendering the Assembly empty until
December 2013.
After what proved to be a costly legal battle
spanning a period of one and half years (December
2010 to June 2012), the Supreme Court declared
the said LI 1983 unconstitutional and retained the
seven electoral areas in Lower Manya in the
Eastern Region.
Following the ruling, the Chiefs and people of
Manya Krobo prevailed on the EC to organize the
election which was eventually held in December
last year excluding the Natriku electoral area. Till
date, the EC would not offer any reason for
omitting Natriku in our elections which were held
about a year ago, instead, plans are underway for
the people of the area to vote under Shai Osudoku
(Greater Accra region) in the upcoming assembly
elections to further entrench the illegality.
