The Electoral Commission (EC) has set February 12, 2021, for the election of regional representatives to the Council of State, following the end of the tenure of the previous Council.
A statement issued by the Commission, yesterday, said filing of nomination would be opened on February 1 to February 4, 2021, for qualified persons to be nominated through their respective EC regional offices
It said the exercise was in accordance with article 89 of the 1992 constitution which enjoined the Commission to conduct elections for members of the Council of State, from the regions.
Interested persons, according to EC, were to file their filled triplicate nomination forms, which would be available on the EC website for free, in addition to two post-card size copies of recent photographs (bust).
“Every nomination must be proposed and seconded by two registered voters and supported by twenty registered voters in the region. The consent of the candidates must be endorsed thereon”, the statement said.
It indicated that the elections would be held at the respective regional capitals at venues to be determined by the Commission and communicated to the public accordingly.
The Council of State is made up of 25 members, enjoined by the 1992 Constitution (Chapter 9, Article 89) to “counsel the President in the performance of his functions”.
The Council is made up of regional elected representatives and others appointed by the President in addition to the President of the National House of Chiefs, who is an ex-officio member.
In accordance with Article 89(2), the President is to appoint a former Chief Justice, a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and a former Inspector General of Police.
However, in the first term of President Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, he was unable to appoint a former Chief Justice (CJ) to the council, as required by the constitution, because there was no living former CJ.
The President on Monday February 27, 2017, swore in the members of the Council of State, whose Chairman was Nana Otuo Serebuor, Omanhene of Juaben.
The Council ended it work last year, and presented its report to the President.
BY TIMES REPORTER
