EC, Assin residents meet on creation of additional district

The people of Assin in the Central Region, on Thursday welcomed government's intention to create an additional district in the area, and said it would help in accelerating socio-economic development there.

They expressed their satisfaction when a team from the Electoral Commission (EC), led by its Deputy Chairman in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr. David Kangah, held a forum at Assin Fosu, to discuss the creation of the new district, which is to be carried out during the 'national demarcation' exercise.

The forum was attended by the district chief executive (DCE), Mr. Kwabena Karikari Apau, chiefs from the area's three paramouncies, opinion and youth leaders, heads of department and assembly members.

The existing district, which covers a surface area of 2,375 sq-km, with a population of about 187,000, accounts for about 25 percent of the region's total surface area, and is the only district in the region to be re-demarcated.

The forum was to determine the boundary within which the new district is to be located, its name, and the proposed capital.

Mr Kangah explained to the people that the EC had organized the forum in pursuance of its statutory advisory role in the creation and naming of new districts, by the President, who is mandated by the constitution to create districts.

The Director of Elections, Mr. Kofi Arhin, told the forum that the area was likely to get a third constituency in future and advised the people to bear that in mind when determining the boundaries for the new district.

When it came to deliberations as to which area should form the boundary for the new district, many of the participants agreed that the 'Atonsu' river which lies between Assin Atonsu and Assin Adubiase should be the boundary, while the districts should be named Assin south and Assin north districts when the new one is created.

However, there was no consensus over the choice of a capital for the new district, as some proposed Assin Manso and others Nyankomasi Ahenkro, basing their proposals on the type and number of facilities existing in the two towns and their economic viability.

The DCE told the EC that the two paramount chiefs in the areas where the two towns are located have assured him of their cooperation when one of the two towns is chosen.