Tema, Sept 8, GNA - The Tema Metropolitan Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) has proposed to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to create 12 additional Electoral Areas in the Metropolis.

The Tema Metropolis, which is made up of the Tema East, Tema West and Kpone-Katamanso constituencies, has 39 Electoral Areas.

Mr Gabriel Manu, Tema Metropolitan Electoral Officer, told the GNA in an interview that the proposal was necessitated by the large size of some of the Electoral Areas which made it difficult for the Assembly Members to effectively administer their areas.

He said the EC had proposed the carving of four additional Electoral Areas from the Kakasunaka Electoral Area. The proposal also sought for the division into two each of the Halcrou, Ottanor, Wolei, and Adjei Kojo Electoral Areas.

Mr Manu said since the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry was working on proposals received nationwide for the creation and division of some Electoral Areas, the filing of nominations for the up-coming District Assembly Election had been postponed.

He said though nomination forms were ready, prospective candidates would have to wait until the EC received the go-ahead from the Ministry to file their nominations.

Mr Manu said the EC would have to demarcate the Electoral Areas for the boundaries to be known after the Ministry approved the proposal, adding however, that the current demarcation would be maintained if the new proposal did not go through.