Creation of new regions not political, Chiefs dully consulted – Dan Botwe

The Regional Re-organisations and Development Minister, Mr. Dan Kwaku Botwe, has stated that the creation of new regions, as promised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), was not politically motivated adding that they have done a lot of consultations with traditional rulers.

Speaking in an interview with Otec news, Mr. Botwe said the move would bring development closer to the people, while alleviating the level of poverty in those areas. Ghana’s region stock is expected to increase from 10 to 14 in line with the NPP’s electioneering campaign.

“The National House of Chiefs, political parties, and civil society organizations were involved and the existing works done in creating new regions have been applied”, he added.

The new administrative regions are expected to be carved out of the Northern, Western, Brong Ahafo and Volta regions.

Some political watchers have questioned the decision arguing that the creation of new regions in itself does not drive development.

President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, 19 October 2017 inaugurated a nine member Commission of Enquiry into the creation of new regions.

The 9-Member Commission is chaired by Justice S.A. Brobbey, a retired Supreme Court Judge, and has Dr. Grace Bediako, Maulvi Mohammed Bin-Salih, Prof. KwasiKwafoAdarkwa, Gladys Tetteh, Robert Ajene, David Wellington Essaw, Prof. George Owusu, and Ms. Josephine Hughes as its members.

President Akufo-Addo said the need for the creation of the new regions is purely demand driven.

“The creation of the new region have the endorsement of the three former presidents and the two major political parties the NPP and NDC since it was captured in the manifesto of both parties,” the president added, during the inauguration.

Mr. Botwe also the NPP was motivated to split those regions so as to speed up development in the target areas.

“The processes leading to the new demarcations would be done with broad stakeholder consultations to ensure everybody was satisfied with the expected split”, he assured.

Source, otecfmghana.com/ Francis Appaih