Attorney General’s call for fresh polls in Buem ‘a joke’ – Kofi Adams

The Member of Parliament for the Buem Constituency, Kofi Adams, has described the Attorney General’s call for the annulment of the Buem Constituency results of the 2020 polls as a “joke.”

According to him, the call clearly shows that we have an incompetent government running the country.

“This clearly shows that we have an incompetent government that was bestowed on us. This is not the first time we have had to amend our constituency boundaries. In each of those cases, we have never seen this level of incompetence. But this shows that the government has been incompetent in handling our local government creation of the constituency. But for what he said, I see it as a joke. He was evasive with the real issues that came from his answers. But I am ready for any elections in Buem,” citinewsroom quoted.

Kofi Adams‘ comments are in reaction to an answer given by the Attorney General, Godfed Dame, in Parliament, when he asked the status of the Draft Constitutional instrument for the creation of a constituency for Sontrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, Likpe Traditional Area.

In response, Godfred Dame said fresh elections in the constituency would give the people of SALL the right representation.

“The way to go if we want to achieve representation of the SALL areas in the lifetime of this Parliament is to ensure that proper areas that have been allocated within proper constituencies duly created by law are given their right to vote in proper elections properly conducted to duly elect Members of Parliament. Thus, a proper election ought to be conducted to elect a Member of Parliament to represent all of the people in the Buem Constituency, as mandated by C. I. 128,” he said.

Background

The Guan District made up of Santrofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) in the Oti Region, was created following a Legislative Instrument laid in Parliament by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in 2019.

The district was previously part of the Hohoe Municipal (District Electoral Areas and Designation of Units) Instrument, 2014. C. I. 85. However, the area was placed in the Oti Region in the Referendum (Creation of New Regions) Regulations, 2018 C. I. 109 of November 30 2018, as recommended by the Commission of Inquiry into the creation of the six new regions.

Consequently, Guan was made part of the Oti Region in Oti Region Instrument, 2019 C. I. 112 on February 8 2019. It was also included in the Jasikan District in the Oti Region as provided in the District Electoral Areas and Designation of Unit Assemblies.

However, the people of SALL did not partake in the December 7, 2020, parliamentary election but only voted in the Presidential election. This followed an announcement by the EC on December 6, 2020. The disenfranchisement has so far triggered many reactions, with many concerned Ghanaians calling for the issue to be addressed ahead of the 2024 general election.