Ghanaians will vote December 17 – O.B. Amoah

Local Government and Rural Development Ministry has reiterated that the December 17 referendum will come off despite increasing calls for its suspension.

Deputy Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Osei Bonsu Amoah, stated that until government issues a directive to cancel the elections, Ghanaians will march to the polls to cast a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote for or against political party participation in electing local representatives at the various assemblies.

“We shouldn’t create the impression that the campaign has been for only three months. Education has been ongoing for a long time,” he said on the JoyNews TV’s AM Show, Tuesday.

Mr Osei Bonsu added that preparations are ongoing as campaign at the district level has been massive.

According to him, “when you go to the districts we have various groups who are on radio, who are holding town hall meetings, who are having all their programs for referendum day 2019.”

With about 20 days more to go, various groups including some Chiefs have called for the referendum to be postponed, citing a lack of proper education about the referendum as their reason.

But the Deputy Minister maintains that “even the average person will tell you that at least they have attended meetings and programs at which these issues were brought up.”

Meanwhile, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrissu, says the President has no authority under the 1992 Constitution to halt the process once it has been triggered.

According to him, the president will be acting illegally if he goes ahead to cancel the referendum.

“The President will have to hasten cautiously. I do not see any power vested in the President to halt the process. Once he triggers the process, he is obliged and mandated by law to go the full course,” he said.