Some stakeholders in the Western Region who are advocating for the creation of the Western North Region have said that only residents in the northern part should be allowed to vote in the referendum if the proposed split is endorsed by the Commission of Enquiry.
According to them, historical precedents and best practices elsewhere suggest that it is only persons in areas craving for the split that are allowed to cast ballots in such referendums.
The Commission of Enquiry looking into proposals for the creation of new regions did not have issues of objections to deal with when it held public hearings in the Western Region compared to what has been reported elsewhere in other regions.
This has assured many residents particularly in the northern part of the region that barring any last minute objections, the proposed Western North Region will happen anytime soon.
However, what appears to be engaging the thoughts of residents is who partakes in the referendum that will finally give them the region they have been asking for.
This has got some stakeholders speaking, mounting strong opposition against residents in the southern part of the region to vote during the referendum.
The Member of Parliament for the Akontombra Constituency, Alex Djornobuah Tetteh, says the destiny of residents in the eleven constituencies in the northern part should not be determined by those in the south.
He explained that “they should let us decide our destiny and I believe that, if we do it this way, it will help, just like in South Sudan. It was those who were going to be affected that took part in the exercise. This is not to say that those in the Western South are not in support of the split, but let us decide our destiny, and I believe the president or the Commission of Enquiry will decide for us in this tangent”.
Mounting another objection to Western South participation is the Municipal Chief Executive for Sefwi Wiawso Louis Owusu-Agyepong.
In his view, asking all residents of the present day Western Region to partake in the referendum will be a herculean task. Besides, according to him, historical events have suggested how referendums should be held.
He argued that “the petition [for the split] came from the chiefs and people from Western North, so the most convenient and less stressful way to go about it is to allow those who have clamoured for it to go into the referendum and decide their own fate. This has nothing to do with our brothers and sisters in the South”.
He further argued that, “there are some precedents. Somewhere in the 60s, a similar thing happened. The trans-Togoland plebiscite, the people who were directly affected were those who went into the referendum. Not too long ago, we all know there was a similar exercise in South Sudan…Our case cannot be an exception”.
The District Chief Executive for Juabeso, Martha Kwayie, also argued that it is those in the northern part of the region who know why they are demanding for the region, and so such reasons may not be welcomed by those in the south.
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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citinewsroom.com/Ghana