decentralisation ‘Election of MMDCEs will deepen decentralisation’
Josephine
Nkrumah, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE),
has stated that the December 17, 2019, referendum is only to determine whether
political parties should participate in district level governance or not.
“The referendum
is only about the citizenry voting either ‘yes’ to allow political parties to participate
in district level elections or ‘no’ to let the status quo prevail where
political parties do not participate in district level elections.
“The December 17, 2019, referendum is to
enable the citizenry to vote on the proposed amendment of Article 55 (3) of the
1992 Constitution that currently bars political parties from participating in
district level elections,” Ms Nkrumah stressed.
She quizzed “do
you want political parties to participate in district level elections: Yes or
No, that’s all the December 17, 2019, referendum
is about, Article 55 (3) states that: “…Subject to the provisions of this
Article, a political party is free to participate in shaping the political will
of the people, to disseminate information on political ideas, social and
economic programmes of a national character, and sponsor candidates for
elections to any public office other than to District Assemblies or lower local
government units.
“It is an entrenched provision which can
only be amended through a referendum, which per Article 290(4) can be approved
when at least 40 per cent of persons entitled to vote, at the referendum and at
least 75 per cent of the votes cast should be in favour of passing the bill.
“On December 17, 2019, every electorate is required to undertake three basic steps at the polling stations to vote: thus vote for at most five candidates as Unit Committee members, secondly vote for one candidate as Assembly Member, thirdly, before you leave the polling station is to vote either yes for or no for the referendum.
“These are the basic things to do on December 17, 2019, in conformity with all electoral laws of the country, the amendment to the 1992 Constitution to allow the electorate to elect Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) is currently before Parliament and as soon as it is done, we will then elect our MMDCEs,” Ms Nkrumah assured. -gna.org