The Electoral Commission (EC), has proposed the creation of 178 new electoral areas in the Northern Region in addition to the existing 705 electoral areas.
The new electoral areas will constitute more than 25% of the existing electoral areas.
The Northern Regional Director of the EC, Benjamin Bano-Bioh, disclosed this at a stakeholders engagement in Tamale on the proposed electoral areas to be created in the region.
The Stakeholders Engagement brought together representatives of the various political parties, chiefs, assembly members, the associations of persons with disability, the media, among other interested groups.
The Northern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Bano-Bioh stated that the decision to create the new electoral areas in the region is to bring governance to the doorstep of the people and to also enhance local government administration.
He further stated that the factors considered for the creation of the electoral areas included the size of the population of an area, land size, geographical location i.e, distance, interest of the community, conflict, among others.
He said that the stakeholders’ engagement was to get the inputs and suggestions of all parties to ensure the success of the exercise, explaining that electoral areas could not be created in areas where there are no polling stations.
Mr Bano-Bioh reiterated that the criteria is so complex and varied. He therefore, called on the people, especially political parties, to put away their own interests and rather look at the larger picture in the creation of the new electoral areas.
The Northern Regional Director of the EC used the engagement to throw more light on upcoming activities of the ECincluding the limited voter registration exercise, meant for those who have attained age 18 to get their names on the register, the voter register exhibition that would be held the areas where the proposed two new regions are to be created in the North and a subsequent referendum to be held in these areas.
On the limited registration exercise, Mr Bano-Bioh cautioned political parties against presenting people who were not qualified to register, such as minors He also cautioned against bussing people who already have their names in the register to again register.
He said those who will engage in multiple registration would have their names deleted and be marked as persons engaged in double or multiple registration.
He said political parties should know that they are not helping people when they make them register twice saying such an act amounts to disenfranchising them and anybody who engages in double registration cannot votein the major elections in 2020.
Mr Bano-Bioh called on chiefs, opinion leaders and the political parties to ensure that the limited registration exercise is successful.
The Deputy Northern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Emmanuel Abeam-Danso called on the parties to educate their supporters on the need to ensure that only those qualified would have their names in the voters register.
