The Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament has laid its report on the Referendum Regulations 2018.
The regulations forms part of the legal framework required to support the upcoming referendum in December 2018 for the creation of six new regions.
It is unclear when the report will be debated.
The Justice Brobbey Commission was set up to look into the requests for the creation of new regions and has presented its report to the government.
The 19-member Commission after holding nationwide consultations, urged the government to create the administrative regions to be known as Oti, Ahafo, Brong East, Western North, North East, and Savannah.
The Electoral Commission has held limited voter registration in areas the new regions will cover ahead of the referendum.
Publish Brobbey report on the creation of new regions – Minority
The Minority in Parliament last week demanded immediate publication of the Justice Brobbey Commission report which recommended the creation of six additional regions in Ghana.
According to Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, it is in the interest of transparency for the recommendations and other details of the commission’s report to be made public.
Addressing the press, Haruna Iddrisu indicated that it is not right for Parliament to consider a constitutional instrument when there is no report before the House.
“It is in the interest of good governance, openness; truthfulness and transparency that the report of the Commission of Inquiry is made public to enable the nation to verify that the constitutional instrument before Parliament is truly reflective of the contents of the commission’s report.”
“It must be opened up to the entire nation to enable us to gain insights into the thinking of the Commission and the constitutionality of its recommendation, and to determine whether the constitutional instrument laid in Parliament truly reflects the recommendations of the commission,” he added.
Background
Some stakeholders in some of the areas especially from parts of the Volta Region, are opposed to the Oti Region.
Government and the Electoral Commission have already been slapped with two different suits over the issue.
‘We’re not breaking any law in creating new regions’ – Nana Addo
President Nana Akufo-Addo had mounted a spirited defense of his administration’s move to create new regions saying it does not violate the 1992 constitution.
Speaking at a meeting with some chiefs from the Volta Region at the Jubilee House in October 2018, President Akufo-Addo said the government is acting according to the dictates of the constitution.
“I would not be party to anything that attempts to subvert the constitution of Ghana. I fought all my life for constitutional rule in this country, and if I become president and I am the one undermining the constitution then I’m making nonsense of myself. I wouldn’t do that. I don’t see this thing as having anything to do with ambitions, dislike or hostility, no. So Torgbui, through you and the senior chiefs that have come with you, I’m pleading with you, let the temperature on this matter come down,” he pleaded.
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By: Duke Mensah Opoku | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
