The Chiefs and people of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area who were going to demonstrate on Tuesday March 3, 2015 to prevent the Electoral Commission (EC) from conducting the assembly elections in the Natriku electoral area (Akuse) have hailed the Supreme Court’s decision ordering the postponement of the elections and the start of the entire process all over again.
They said not only is the decision of the court a real victory for democracy in Ghana, but an opportunity for the EC to correct the anomaly of wrongly placing the Natriku electoral area under the Shai Osudoku District of the Great Accra Region instead of Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region, contrary to provisions in the 1992 constitution and judgments of the Supreme Court.
In a statement issued by local pressure group Kloma Gbi Saturday February 28, 2015 and signed by Spokesperson, Hilary Saki Kodji, the chiefs and peopleof the area said the wrong placement of Natriku in the Shai Osudoku District instead of Lower Manya Krobo Municipality and the determined effort by the EC to hold the March 3, 2015 elections as such, was going to disturb the peace of the area, since the Chief and people of Manya Krobo were warming up for a showdown and to resist the EC.
They had served the Akuse District Police Command a notice to embark on a demonstration in compliance with the public order act before the Supreme Court ruling on Friday.
The chiefs were taking to the streets to draw public and national attention to what they described as the EC’s perpetuation of an illegality.
Mr Kodji, in an earlier statement announcing the demonstration said: “By putting Natriku under the Shai Osudoku District (Great Accra Region) instead of Lower Manya Krobo (Eastern Region) not only is the EC breaching Article 5 of the 1992 Constitution, but disregarding the numerous Supreme Court judgments which place the electoral area in question in Lower Manya (Eastern Region).
He wondered why the EC will also ignore the directives from the local Government Ministry, which also directs the placement of Natriku in Lower Manya indicated in a letter dated March 14, 2013.
