01-12-2019
Press Release
SUSPENSION OF REFERENDUM HOWEVER UNLAWFUL IS A BIG VICTORY FOR “NO CAMPAIGNERS”-ASEPA
The President of the Republic this evening has announced that the upcoming December 17 Referendum be put on hold.
Even though there are serious Constitutional issues under contention here, whether the President has the powers to interfere in a Constitutional process that has been set in motion by Parliament, we believe this is still a big Win for us *NO Campaigners.*
We want to use this opportunity to Congratulate all Civil Society Organisations who went all out amidst serious logistical challenges to explain the merits of the Referendum to the people, we thank you for breaking the issues down to the understanding of the ordinary Ghanaian which aided them in taking the position they took.
Further appreciation goes to the Media who made their platforms available for such important advocacies, especially to Multimedia Group, Power and XYZ Media Group, ClassFM, Accra FM and the Class Media Group, and all the online and print media, the National House of Chiefs, the Catholic Bishops Conference and all other entities who joined in this very important advocacy, we couldn’t have done this without you.
Special thanks also go to the National Democratic Congress, the NDC, the major opposition Political party for taking the side of the people and for giving life to the position that we Civil Societies took on this subject matter.
Once again the power of the people has been re-echoed in our democratic process and we thank the President for giving in to the concerns of the people.
What we would want more is that in future, a more consultative approach would be adopted for matters as important as this one, let us first aspire to reach National consensus before we roll out such serious amendments to prevent unnecessary financial losses.
That being said we call on the Auditor General to immediately cause to be audited the expenditures incurred on the suspended Referendum thus far so that the people of Ghana through Parliament can be widely informed on how much the State has lost through this still-birth referendum.
May God bless us all.
Signed:
Mensah Thompson
Executive Director, ASEPA
0542120628
Cc.
The National House of Chiefs
The Auditor General
All Media Houses
