John Mahama, the NDC’s 2020 presidential candidate, has described the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe (SALL) enclave’s lack of representation in Parliament as “one of the biggest travesties of democracy.”
One of the essential foundations of democracy, he added, is the motto “no taxation without representation.” The former President stated that law-abiding individuals who paid taxes in a state deserved representation in that state’s legislature.
During his “Thank you” visit to the Oti Region, Mr Mahama addressed chiefs and people of the Guan District in Likpe Mate, saying the SALL crisis was one that should never happen again.
“There should be no occasion in which a certain part of this country or certain people of this country are deprived of their representation in our national Parliament.”
He expressed the hope that the problem would be resolved as soon as possible so that the people of SALL could have a genuine representation speaking for them. Former President Mahama stated that he was at the area to congratulate the people on the establishment of the Guan District.
Although the Party supported the election of MMDCEs, the previous President stated that the elections should be held on non-political party lines because the country had grown polarized.
Mr Mahama acknowledged that circumstances were difficult and that people were suffering, and that the NPP government’s failure to deliver had highlighted his hard work when the NDC was in office.
Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Party’s National Chairman, stated that the SALL enclave was the only region that was denied the right to elect a representative in Parliament, calling the act “the biggest injustice.”
He stated that the government must ensure that a Member of Parliament is elected for the people of the Guan Area as soon as possible.
Nana Soglo Alloh IV, the Likpe Traditional Area’s Paramount Chief, requested the former President to alter Article 243 of the 1992 Constitution to allow local people to pick their District Chief Executives without regard to political party affiliation.
He advocated that it be done before the NDC gained political power, claiming that doing so would assure that assembly members were elected.
Nana Alloh stated that the Guan District, which was newly established, required a Constituency to function well since the Common Fund was critical to the growth of each Constituency.
Mr Mahama is accompanied by Professor Jane Nanaa Opoku Agyeman, the Party’s Running Mate, as well as the National, Regional, and Constituency Executives, who are touring the Guan District for the first time since its inception.
source:myjoyonline.com
