John Boadu
The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, is embarking on a nationwide tour to, among other things, rally party executives in the 275 constituencies to actively participate in the campaign for an overwhelming “Yes Vote” in the upcoming referendum on the election of MMDCEs.
Mr. Boadu is urging the executives of his party across the various levels and indeed all Ghanaians to see the referendum as a very crucial political exercise, not only for the NPP but also for the Republic.
He is encouraging people to approach the referendum with all the seriousness that it deserves.
Speaking to party executives at an orientation workshop for all constituency executives in the Western North Region on Thursday, October 31, 2019, Mr. Boadu emphasized the importance of the referendum and why it must return a YES verdict.
He noted that “the success of this referendum would mean a fulfillment of one of our key manifesto promise and more importantly, something that would strengthen local governance to advance the cause of national development and prosperity”.
The General Secretary, however, bemoaned the apparent lack of enthusiasm shown towards the exercise and intimated that, for the referendum to pass, the huge constitutional threshold of at least 40% turn out and 75% “Yes Vote” must be met.
The nation is expected to hold a referendum on December 17, 2019, for the amendment of Article 55 (3) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The amendment is to allow political parties to sponsor candidates for elections to any public office including District Assemblies or lower local government units.
According to Mr. Boadu, in view of the steps being taken by government, by the date of the referendum, Parliament would have finished amending Article 243(1) to takeaway the President’s power of appointing MMDCEs.
BY Melvin Tarlue