Kandiga (U/E), Jan 12, GNA - The chief and people of Kandiga in the Kassena-Nankana East District have appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC= ) to ensure that people in the Atosale/Azaasi Electoral area exercise their franchise in the just ended district assembly election. Voting in the recent assembly level election could not take place in the area which forms part of Kandiga.

The Chief of Kandiga, Naba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego II, told a press conference on Tuesday that the name of Akurugu Daboo electoral area was changed to Atosale/Azaasi Electoral area by the EC during the creation of new electoral areas.

This new development did not go down well with the Navrongo Traditiona= l Council and it had to petition the EC with the explanation that it was not consulted before the name was changed from Akurugu Daboo to Atosale Electoral Area and that was disrespect for the Traditional council. He said as far as there was a legislative instrument backing the name of the newly created electoral area he wondered why the people were disenfranchised from voting in the District Level Election.

Naba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego said on the Election Day people turned up in their numbers to vote but were disappointed when they discovered that the EC was not present in the area to conduct the exercise. "The denial of the people in the area to exercise their franchise is a strong violation of their fundamental human rights and this should not be allowed to go on without addressing the problem once and for all," he sai= d.

He said the name Akurugu Daboo was a clan name of a family in the area and alleged that the Regent of Navrongo and the District Chief Executive of the area had political motives in the change of the name. Naba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego said the people in the area had been advocating for the creation of a new electoral area and were disappointed that they could not benefit from it and that it was not proper and did not enhance free participation in democracy.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Emmanuel Andema, Kassena Nankana= , the District Chief Executive, said the District Security Council and the Regional Security Council had to place a ban on the District Assembly Election in the electoral area following a controversy over a change of nam= e of the area. He said the ban was placed to prevent conflict which was likely to occur because of the disagreements expressed by the various parties in the matter= .. 12 Jan 11

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