Regional News of Saturday, 16 November 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

MMDCEs will not be on the ballot paper on December 17 – NCCE

The NCCE is stepping up efforts to sensitise the public on the December 17 referendum The NCCE is stepping up efforts to sensitise the public on the December 17 referendum

Mrs. Lucille Hewlett Annan, Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has cautioned citizens not to expect faces of their preferred candidates for the position of MMDCEs on the ballot paper during the December 17 Elections.

She made this remarks during a public durbar held at the forecourt of the Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) to engage citizens on the Nationwide Referendum and District Level Elections (DLE).

Mrs. Annan stated that the NCCE, over the period have gathered some information which when not well addressed would leave the ordinary Ghanaian in a ledge.

She noted that some section of the public believed in the school of thought that, citizens were going to elect their Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives on the referendum day.

According to her the referendum rather sought to amend article 55 clause 3 which barred political Parties from participating in the District Level Election.

She said Article 243 which was yet to go through Parliamentary scrutiny would only seek to elect MMDCEs, but not on political lines. “Let not confuse ourselves with it”.

Mrs Annan further mentioned that, the NCCE has a constitutional mandate to educate the citizens on the DLE and the referendum but not to take any stance on who votes ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

She further told the citizenry to critically access who they voted for in office as their Assembly Members as they have the power to determine what happens within their various electoral areas.

On December 17 the electorates would elect one candidate for the District Assembly; vote for five candidates for the unit committee level and vote either ‘Yes’ of ‘No’ in the Referendum.