The Minister of Regional Reorganisation and Development, Dan Botwe, has decried the comments of the Paramount Chief of Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, about the intended creation of new regions.
He said those comments are baseless and not in the best interest of the committee that worked on the proposal.
According to a statement signed by him, he said the Commission adhered strictly to the provisions outlined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana relating to the creation of regions stressing that the comments of Togbe Afede be disregarded.
Togbe Afede, who is also the President of the National House of Chiefs, had said that: “The thinking of the framers of the law to protect the integrity of this country and its regions”.
However, the Minister said “…We wish to debunk the statement that the Commission of Inquiry did a shoddy job”.
“The Ministry has in the past desisted from responding to views expressed by our revered and eminent Chiefs, but has found it imperative in this instance to respond to attacks on the Commission of Inquiry into the Creation of Regions by no less a person than Togbe Afede XIV”, the statement said.
“The utterances of the President of the National House of Chiefs really baffle us as he has been consulted perhaps more than any other Ghanaian on the creation of regions. Togbe Afede XIV has been involved in all consultations of the Commission with the Council of State, the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs”.
A 19-member Commission after holding nationwide consultations urged government to create the administrative regions to be known as Oti, Ahafo, Brong East, Western North, North East and Savanna.
A referendum is expected to be held in the beneficiary areas before the new regions are created.