Dan Botwe (middle) addressing the media while Mustapha Hamid (left), Minister for Information and Deputy Minister for Regional Reorganization look on
The various petitioners calling for the creation of new regions in the country out of the existing ones are expected to appear before a Commission of Enquiry to make their case for that to happen.
It would be recalled that President Akufo-Addo, on October 19, this year, inaugurated the commission, in consultation with the Council of State, to solicit the views of residents and petitioners on the creation of the proposed new regions.
Six petitions are awaiting the attention of the Justice Alan Brobbey Commission on the re-demarcation of new regions – two each from the Brong-Ahafo and the Northern Regions and each from the Volta and the Western Regions.
As part of the exercise, the commission is expected to tour the Volta, Western, Northern and the Brong-Ahafo Regions.
But according to the Minister for Regional Reorganization, Dan Botwe – who addressed the media on Thursday in Accra – the entire exercise would begin with separate meetings with the six petitioners at the Osu Castle, Accra, beginning with the petitioners from the Western Region on Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 10am.
That, he said, would be followed by a meeting with the petitioners from the Volta Region on November 22; petitioners from the Brong-Ahafo Region on November 23 whence they would have a break and return on November 28 to meet other petitioners from the Brong-Ahafo Region.
According to him, on November 29, the petitioners from the Northern Region would have the opportunity to appear before the commission.
Mr Dan Botwe indicated that the essence of the meetings is to give the petitioners the chance to substantiate their demand for the creation of the proposed six new regions.
After that, he said, the Commission shall move out to the various regions to hold public hearings and seek the views of residents on whether or not to create the regions.
The commission’s recommendations will subsequently be handed over to the Electoral Commission (EC) to organize the referenda on the matter.
Fifty percent of persons living in the proposed areas will be required to endorse the proposal for new regions, then the process of creating the new regions will begin.
The move to create new regions is in fulfillment of the New Patriotic Party’s campaign promise to carve new regions out of the Brong-Ahafo, Western, Northern and Volta Regions.
By Melvin TarlueÂ