A research fellow with the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Professor Ransford Gyampo, has said the creation of new regions is a needless exercise.
Speaking on Citi TV’s Point of View, Prof. Gyampo said the new regions would not guarantee development.
[contextly_sidebar id=”ekKp6RH1y4ZDuDX7acdAp6BJjLIBvAae”]He described it as a mere “political luxury” that can be shelved.
“When I weigh the case for and the case against… there are other basic and fundamental things that we can do to deliver development to the doorsteps of the people,” he argued.
Ultimately, the buck of development will stop at the district level, Prof Gyampo explained.
“If you split them into two, within those regions, districts will be operating within them. If you create regions and the districts within the regions still face the challenges that they face now, it will be meaningless.”
Prof. Gyampo, who explored the populist nature of such initiatives in a 2017 paper, observed further that over the years, there has been no correlation between more districts and development.
“More districts have been created, but the problem of inadequate District Assemblies Common Fund still persist. The problem of the less timely release of funds still persists.”
The Justice S.A. Brobbey Commission of Inquiry recommended that the EC should hold referenda in the selected regions to determine the creation of the six new regions.
The Commission recommended the creation of the six new regions, i.e. Western North, Bono East, Ahafo, Savannah, North East, and Oti regions from the Western, Brong Ahafo, Volta and Northern Regions.
Despite Prof. Gyampo and other observer’s concerns, President Nana Akufo-Addo has said new administrative regions have in the past been created to bring governance closer to the people.
He expressed hope that “the creation of these new regions will serve the same purposes.”
“We are chartering new paths in the development of Ghanaian democracy. This is the first time that in a constitutional era, regions are being created under constitutional provisions. The work of this Commission will definitely be one of the landmarks in that journey. History will definitely applaud, I have no doubt, the manner in which this Commission has discharged its historic duty.”
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citinewsroom.com/Ghana