New regions will promote equitable distribution of national cake – NPP
Mr Debie Mensah-Appiah, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Brong-Ahafo Region on Wednesday said the creation of the additional regions will promote fair share of the “national cake”.
Equitable distribution of the national purse would accordingly push rapid socio-economic growth and facilitate accelerated national development.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Mensah-Appiah, a former Brong-Ahafo Regional Organiser of the NPP said it was imperative for all Ghanaians, irrespective of one’s political affiliation to take active part so the populace would understand the processes involved in the referendum to meet the constitutional requirement.
The six proposed new regions are Western North, Bono East, Ahafo, Savannah, North East and Oti Regions.
However, at least 50 percent participation of registered voters in the proposed areas must vote with an endorsement of 80 percent to seal the creation of the new regions, as required by the 1992 constitution.
Government critics say the creation of the new regions would be a drain on the country’s resources.
But, Mr Mensah-Appiah said the creation of the regions was a good direction to push forward development saying several communities in the proposed areas were still lagged behind in development.
These communities are denied of potable drinking water, accessible roads, electricity, and basic schools because they were cut-off and remained hard-to-reach areas.
Mr Mensah-Appiah indicated that the NPP’s position and determination to create the new regions was not a move to score political marks, but to ensure that local governance was brought to the door-step of the populace to deepen grassroots participation.
He reminded eligible voters to go out there and vote to secure the constitutional provisions.
This, Mr Mensah-Appiah explained was why every Ghanaian must support the referendum processes to achieve desirable results.
He said with the creation of the new regions, the Ministry of Special Development Initiative (MSDI) would positioned itself well, be up and doing and thereby bring development to the people.
Meanwhile, political watchers in the Sunyani Municipality have recommended the need for all eligible voters in the country to participate in the referendum.
They told the GNA in an interview that as a national exercise, all electorate must have the opportunity to participate in the referendum.
Mr Sebastian Owusu, a radio panellist, noted that majority of the populace had not shown interest in the constitutional processes because they were not engaged in the earlier stages.
According to Mr Osei Owusu, an activist of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), though the idea to create the new regions was laudable, the NDC expected active national discourse to collate the views of the people in that direction.
Stephen Agyemang, a member of the People’s National Convention (PNC) said he was optimistic that if created the government would channel much resource to develop the new regions as expected.
Source: GNA