Takoradi, Nov. 8, GNA - Electoral areas would increase from about 5,000 to about 6,000 when the proposed Legislative Instrument on the creation of new electoral areas is passed into law by Parliament. Mr. George Kuntu Blankson, Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, Subsidiary Legislation and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said this at Takoradi.

He was addressing a press conference on the Second Annual Parliamentary Workshop on Local Government and Decentralization Reforms which ended at Takoradi at the weekend. Mr Blankson said in the Western Region, the number of electoral areas would increase by 88 from 452 to 540. The number of Unit Committees would reduce by about 9,000 from about 15,000 to about 6,000.

Mr Blankson said membership of the Unit Committees would reduce by about 195,000 from about 225,000 to about 30,000. This had been made possible as a result of the reduction of the membership from 15 to 5 and the abolition of the appointed membership at the Unit Committee level, he said.

Mr Blankson said individuals and organizations would now be allowed to mount their own platforms under certain conditions during the district level electioneering campaigns.

Under the old law, he said, only the Electoral Commission could mount common platforms for the candidates. 08 Nov 10