Just about three days to the December 27 referendum on the new regions, investigative journalist, Korsi Senyo has backed a campaign to vote “NO” in the referendum saying it is a “wasteful exercise”.
According to him in a facebook post, “We must remember this exercise is being funded by the state and such ventures must be in the best interest of the nation taken into account economic implications”.
“How can we keep creating districts and leaving them under-resourced and under-developed and now jump to start creating more regions in the name of that same development?” – He quizzed
For him, the amount that is being invested in the referendum alone can do a lot in some of the districts in the areas that are being earmarked to gain a regional demacation.
“Folks, the YES and NO referendum alone is said to be estimated to cost the country around GH¢932 million. Do you know how much this amount alone can do to some districts in this country?”
Government has set December 27 for Yes or No referendum of six proposed regions: Ahafo, Bono East, Savannah, North East, Oti and Western.
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We must not put personal sentiments into this matter and just look at this issue from only one side that those in the affected areas (Oti enclave, Bono etc) are those who will benefit from the creation of the new regions and therefore we must allow it. Remember, tomorrow, another catchment area can also petition to get a region on their own.
Meanwhile, district assemblies, the true development agent which are more closer to the people are being created every now and then and are sadly left under-resourced.
We must remember this exercise is being funded by the state and such ventures must be in the best interest of the nation taken into account economic implications.
How can we keep creating districts and leaving them under-resourced and under-developed and now jump to start creating more regions in the name of that same development?
Folks, the YES and NO referendum alone is said to be estimated to cost the country around GH¢932 million. Do you know how much this amount alone can do to some districts in this country?
My brothers and sisters in the Oti enclave, for example, are using the “distance” from Krachi to Ho to do business as the basis for clamoring for the new region but forgetting it is not only regional capitals that they can travel to do public business but national capital too.
If we are really practicing decentralization, why the need to always travel to the regional or national capital to do this public business? If we have good roads and good district public structures why the need to talk about distance?
Now, how ready is the state to build all these under listed structures overnight and if those resources are there, why not invest it to develop the affected districts.
List borrowed from Prof. Kwaku Asare that per the constitution, we must be ready to provide these:
“1. Regional Police Committee (Article 204);
2. Regional Prison Committee (Article 209);
3. Regional House of Chief (Article 274);
4. Regional Coordinating Council (Article 255);
5. Regional Lands Commission (Article 260);
6. Regional Branch of CHRAJ (Article 220);
7. Regional Branch of NCCE (Article 237);
8. Regional Representative of the Electoral Commission
9. A Representative of the NDPC (Article 86(2)(v));
10. A Representative of the Council of State (Article 89(2)(c));
11. A Regional Minister (Article 256(1));
12. A Regional Deputy Minister (at least) Article 256(2)).”
Do you think Ghana has the capacity to do these overnight?
We must VOTE big NO to the new regions. Let’s develop our districts and practice proper decentralisation. The new region thing is a wasteful exercise.