Referendum: Togbe Afede backs voting by persons not resident in affected regions

The President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XVI, has urged key players in the ongoing process to create new regions to uphold the rule of law every step of the way.

The Paramount Chief of Asogli wants government agencies and the Electoral Commission to work towards upholding the peace and unity of Ghanaians in the creation of the new regions.

“It is obvious that the creation of new regions will result in the alteration of existing boundaries. Indeed, if one of the issues to be decided in such a referendum is the boundary of a new region, then it is difficult to see how voting could be limited to people within the assumed boundary, “said Togbe Afede.

He added: “I have received a petition from the chiefs of Lolobi and the Akpafu traditional rejecting their inclusion in the proposed Oti Region. I have received petitions from Voltarians who feel entitled to vote in the referendum.”

Togbe Afede made the comments when he was addressing the climax of this year’s Asogli The Za at the Jubilee Park in Ho, the Volta Region capital.

Meanwhile, a think tank, Strategic Thinkers Network-Africa (Stranek) has sued the government and the Electoral Commission on the decision to conduct a referendum in only the six regions in which the new regions will be created.



The group wants the Supreme Court to interpret portions of the 1992 Constitution with respect to holding a referendum in the country.

Stranek is seeking a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, particularly articles 4(1), 5(1), 5(2), 5(3), 5(4) and 5(7) of the 1992 Constitution, read conjointly, the recommendation by the Justice Alan Brobbey Commission of Enquiry on the Creation of New Regions to the effect that only the registered voters in the yet to be created region are entitled to vote at the referendum to be conducted by the EC was unconstitutional, null and void.

Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa, who was at the Asogli The Za assured the Paramount chief that his concerns will be forwarded to the appropriate quarters for some attention.

He also called on the Agbogbomefia to throw his weight behind the implementation of government projects such as Free SHS, double-tracking system and ‘one District, one factory’.

This year’s celebration of the Asogli Te Za coincides with the 15 years anniversary of the installation Togbe Afede IVX as the Agbogbomefia of Asogli.

The anniversary drew people of all walks of life to Ho including others chiefs across the country, the diplomatic corps, politicians from both sides of the political divide and the religious and indigenes of Asogli.

Source: Myjoyonline.com