Professor
Kwamena Ahwoi, Head of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Advisory Committee
of Experts on the Referendum, has cautioned the government against plunging the
country into a stalemate at the local government level after a ‘Yes’ victory in
the December 17, 2019, referendum.
He insisted that
a ‘Yes’ victory, which would enable political parties to take part in the
election of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) could
create chaos saying, “We have to avoid a Brexit situation, when we rush into
referendum, ‘yes’ and ‘no’, then suddenly we are confronted with issues we have
not thought through.”
The Brexit situation that Prof. Ahwoi is warning
against refers to the UK referendum in June 2016 to decide whether the UK
should leave or remain in the European Union (EU) although ‘Leave’ won by 52 per cent to 48 per cent, a
March 2019 deadline for Britain to exit the EU was missed.
But Hajia Alima Mahama, the Minister of Local
Government and Rural Development maintained that the call for withdrawal of the
bill to amend Article 55 (3) and hence the referendum was untenable and not
founded in law.
“He should tell me constitutional basis and the
law that allows us to go to Electoral Commission (EC), referendum has gone
through processes should not be withdrawn, contrary to claim there is
deliberate attempt by the government to misinform voters ‘yes vote’ means elect
MMDCEs, the government made roadmap clear when it announced plans for
referendum,” she stated.
According to
Prof. Ahwoi, the bill that would enable political parties participation in
election of MMDCEs should be withdrawn because of consensus, develop national blueprint, not
just on amendment bill but also on all consequential matters to Brexit
situation.
He pointed out that 7,000 of MMDCEs and 35,000
unit committee members could create chaos when they started printing and
hanging campaign posters.
But Hajia Mahama noted that
there was no misinformation and misconception about the referendum since it was
discussed amending Article 55(3) because decision was
taken to elect MMDCEs on partisan basis with two fundamental provisions of
constitution, Article 243(1), not entrenched clause, by Parliament with
two-thirds majority was approved including Council of State. -myjoyonline.com
