EC Denies Disenfranchising Guan Constituency

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has rebutted IMANI Africa’s President, Franklin Cudjoe’s assertion that the people of Santrokofi, Apkafu, Lolobi and Lipke (SALL) forming the newly created Guan Constituency were deprived of their constitutional right in the 2020 General elections by the Commission.

In a two-page press statement, the Commission indicated that the allegation is false and without basis.

According to the EC, the Legislative Instrument (L. I. 2416) which created the Guan District (SALL) was laid in Parliament on October 16, 2020, by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and matured on November 9, 2020, a month to the 2020 General Elections.

It noted that Parliament went on recess the same day the LI matured.

Meanwhile, it said the Ministry of Local Government on November informed the EC of the creation of the Guan District and requested the Commission to take steps to create a new Constituency.

“The Commission drafted a new Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) to bring into force the Guan Constituency and forwarded the draft C.I. to the Attorney General’s Department for its review on the 13th of November, 2020 as required by law,” a part of the statement said.

However, Parliament resumed from recess on December 14, 2020, one week after the 2020 General Elections.

“It is important to state that for a C.I. to mature and come into force, the law requires the Electoral Commission to lay the C.I. in Parliament for twenty-one (21) sitting days. This means that Parliament should be in session during the twenty-one (21) day period when the C.I. is laid. With Parliament on recess, the Commission could not lay the C.I. to bring the Guan Constituency into effect as required by law.”

It, therefore, noted that the assertion by IMANI is inaccurate and unfortunate.

“It is unfortunate that IMANI continues to peddle falsehood and untruths about the Commission at every point and turn. His narrative that the Commission disenfranchised the people of SALL, now the Guan Constituency, is FALSE. We urge the public to verify information put out by IMANI, with the Commission for the truth and the facts.”