The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in partnership with the Electoral Commission and the Information Service Department on Wednesday launched an awareness raising campaign on the forthcoming December 17, 2019, Local Government Elections.
The launch took place at the forecourt of the Ho Central Market in the Volta Region.
The objectives of the launch were to sensitise citizens on the district level elections and also the referendum for amendment of Article 55(3) of the Ghana’s Constitution.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibold Yao Letsa who launched the programme, said President Nana Akufo-Addo believed if the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Executives were directly elected by the citizens, they would be more accountable to the citizens.
He urged the people to vote “yes” in the referendum for parliament to be able to amend relevant potions of the law to enable citizens to elect the district chief executives.
“Forty per cent turnout, 70 per cent ‘yes’, so it is over to us to educate the public that, we want to do something that will enrich our democracy,” he added.
Earlier, Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah, Volta Regional Deputy Chairman of NCCE, stated that a research was conducted on citizens electing MMDCEs and over 60 per cent respondents agreed on electing them.
He also urged eligible voters to go to the polls come December 17, 2019, to vote “yes” for the amendment of article 55(3).
He also advised the people that, the amendment of the Article 55 Clause 3 is not enough for the people to elect the MMDCEs, so they must engage Members of Parliament to amended Article 243(1), which gives the President power to appoint MMDCEs.
Mr Eric Kofi Dzakpasu, Volta Regional Deputy Director of Electoral Commission declared that nomination forms would be available from October 3 – 5, 2019, and it should be returned on October 8, 2019.
Moreover, Mr Foster Sobge, Secretary of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), said that the country’s development was drawing back because the president appoints district chief executives, hence it was good for the law to be amended for the citizens to elect their DCEs.
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