Jean Mensa
Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has categorically denied reports that it intends to create 25 new constituencies out of which 17 will be in the Ashanti Region alone before the 2020 general elections.
She debunked the allegation in an interview with the parliamentary press after appearing before Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament yesterday to answer some queries in the Auditor-General’s Report of 2016.
It was widely publicized in the media last week that the EC was about to create new constituencies after the first Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, had made the allegation.
She said that even though the creation of constituencies is on the agenda of the EC, it’s not the immediate priority because the commission has not even discussed the matter this year.
She indicated that though the EC has the mandate under the 1992 Constitution to create new constituencies as it deems necessary, it has to conduct assessment and considerations before new constituencies could be created, stressing that the creation of the new regions does not necessarily mean new constituencies would have to be created.
According to her, “At the moment, our immediate priority is the setting up of new regional offices in the six new regions, the conduct of the district assembly elections this year and conduct of referendum on elections of MMDCEs.”
When the EC boss was asked when the temporary staff of the commission, who assisted in the conduct of the referendum on the new regions would be paid by the committee, she indicated that monies have now been released by the Ministry of Finance and that by the end of next week all the temporary staff would be paid.
According to her, once the funds have been released, the mode of payment would have to be agreed upon. She said the payment would be more secure through money transfer, but the committee members said that could delay the payment.
Mrs. Mensa, however, said that the payment could be made directly from the ‘table top’ at the various district offices if the option of money transfer is not desirable.
On the implementation of the Representation of People Amendment Act (ROPAA) for the next general elections, she said that a committee is currently conducting the necessary consultations nationwide to see how possible to successfully implement the act.
Mrs. Mensa said nations that also have that system would be consulted to help guide EC to successfully implement ROPAA.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr