Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked Ghanaians to turnout in their numbers on December 17 and vote ‘Yes’ in the Referendum to repeal Article 55(3) of the Constitution, and obtain the power to elect directly their own Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.

“Vote yellow for the ‘Yes’ vote on 17th of December. We want to take Ghana one step forward. We are making progress with our democracy on many fronts. This is one of the last remaining barriers that we have to overcome. Support the initiative that the government has taken to bring greater and greater control over local government to the people in the area,” he said.

The Presdient was at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Akatsi District Assembly, on Monday, 4th November, 2019, at the commencement of his 2-day tour of the Volta Region. He addressed that the District Assembly Concept, introduced some 31 years ago, under the Rawlings era, is one of the most important contributions to the improvement of Ghana’s national governance.

READ ALSO:

"Free Education does not put food on the table" - Suame Parliamentary Aspirant

“The District Assembly concept has led to the enhancement of participatory involvement of our people in their local government. Now, it is time to deepen the process that was began 31 years ago, and entrust to the people full sovereignty over the election of the MMDCEs and members of the District Assemblies,” Nana Addo said.

The obstacle to this development, he noted, is Article 55(3) of the Constitution which prohibits parties from sponsoring candidates into local government, and that is why, “Parliament, together with the Executive, have gone through the motions and processes necessary for us to do so, and we will do so on the 17th of December, when the referendum is held, along with the District Assembly elections, to decide whether or not we should move one step further in the consolidation of democracy in our country.”

President Akufo-Addo told the gathering in Akatsi that, a ‘Yes’ vote means “you can choose for yourself, directly, the man or woman you want as your DCE. No President is going to be involved anymore. I have the power, I say I am giving you the power to choose, and relieve me of the burden. I want you to be the one to make the decision for yourself.”