Go and exercise your sovereign power – NCCE Chair urges first-time voters

The first-time eligible voters have been encouraged to turn up massively to vote in the upcoming December 17 Referendum, Assembly and Unit Committee elections.

“Go and exercise your sovereign power as qualified voters who can contribute to decision-making process for the development of the country”.

Madam Josephine Nkrumah, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) said this when she was speaking at the Ahafo Regional launch of Public Sensitisation and Awareness Raising Campaign on the District Level Elections (DLEs) and Referendum for the Amendment of Article 55 (3) of Ghana’s 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution at Goaso.

The Referendum result is expected to be a 40 per cent turn out of total voters in the national voters’ register and a 70 per cent yes vote constitutionally-required to pave way for the election of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) by the electorate.

Organized by the NCCE in partnership with the Electoral Commission and the Information Services Department and funded by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the programme was to educate the general public about the need to participate in the coming December 17 Referendum.

By their election, the MMDCEs would mandatorily be responsible and accountable to the electorate.

The event was attended by members of Police Wife’s Association, public workers, students, religious leaders, political parties’ representatives, personnel of the security services, traditional rulers, religious leaders, members of Ghana Federation of Disabilities (GFDs) and the general public.

“This is the time for you to decide for your future, take full advantage of becoming drivers in national development from the local level, so go in your numbers”, Mad. Nkrumah urged.

She said the campaign was also to give opportunity for the views of individuals and groups such as GFDs be heard, so that government would be able to formulate and implement all-inclusive policies to speed up national development.

Mad. Nkrumah added that giving the people the chance to decide who should be their MMDCEs “would deepen decentralisation and make it more meaningful in improving local governance”.

The Referendum, she explained “seeks to give mandate to the people to determine individuals whom they think are more competent to superintend their Metropolis, Municipalities and Districts”.

In a speech read on his behalf, Mr. Evans Opoku-Bobie, the Ahafo Regional Minister urged the MMDCEs to lead the campaign by giving it a non-partisanship colour to make the referendum a success.

“Invoke general election enthusiasm into the referendum campaign not only with peaceful massages, but also try to understand well the views and concerns of the people and address them appropriately”, he appealed.

“The entire exercise is very important for the government and for all Ghanaians because the Assemblies are the root and source of national development”, Mr. Opoku-Bobie emphasised.