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PPP criticises EC decision to create more constituencies

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has criticised the decision of the Electoral Commission (EC) to create more constituencies for the 2020 general elections.

The EC is set to create 25 additional constituencies, bringing the number to 300, with the Ashanti Region alone getting about 17 while the remaining 12 will be distributed to the other regions.

Speaking on the development, Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond, the National Chairman of the PPP, dismissed the move as unnecessary saying, “We feel it’s a bad idea to expand the 275 constituencies which is a fair representation considering the size of the nation.

“275 constituencies are enough, I don’t see what benefits we’ll derive as a people when the constituencies are increased, there will be challenges that will come with the additional 25 which to me is uncalled for.

“There are more pressing issues we need to take care of as a country to improve on the welfare of the citizenry, it will be wise for us to freeze the number of parliamentarians we have in the country,” Nii Brew-Hammond noted.

Relatedly, the Minority in Parliament has accused the presidency of influencing the EC to create the additional constituencies to give the New Patriotic Party (NPP) undue advantage in the 2020 elections.

Ahmed Ibrahim, the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, said, “Before 2018, when the issue about Charlotte Osei, former Chairperson of the EC became topical, I indicated clearly that the faceless people who asked for her to leave will make some demands, the presidency has an agenda against the NDC and has asked the EC to create new and additional 25 constituencies to disadvantage others”.

According to Mrs Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the EC, the creation of new constituencies was currently not being considered by the commission and refuted the claim saying, “That is a total lie, it has not come up.

“We have seen reports in the public domain and we can say for a fact that this is not coming from the commission, we’ve not met to consider it although is an issue on its agenda but those figures and information put out there are not true.

“Although the creation of new constituencies is the mandate of the commission, it is not something occupying us at the moment, the creation of new constituencies is an issue the commission is mindful of but has not had any discussion on it,” Mrs Mensa noted.

-starrfmonline.com

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