General News of Friday, 7 January 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
EC exempts people of SALL from participating in 2020 parliamentary elections
SALL without parliamentary representation in Ghana’s Eight Parliament
Manasseh laments lack of legal consequences for SALL’s representational absence in parliament
Today is January 7, 2022, and in fulfilment with Ghana’s constitutional statutes, a public holiday is being observed to commemorate the coming into effect of Ghana’s current constitution – the 1992 Constitution.
According to investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, the Ghanaian constitution is not worth celebrating.
His assertion, according to a post he has made on his Facebook page, is rooted in the lack of parliamentary representation for the people of Santrofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL), and the lack of legal consequences thereof.
“A constitution that allows us to deny a people representation in parliament without consequences is not worth celebrating,” Manasseh wrote.
The case of SALL
The Electoral Commission of Ghana on the eve of the 2020 general election issued a release announcing the exclusion of the people of SALL from voting in the parliamentary election.
The people however allowed to participate in the presidential election, since the inception of Ghana’s Eight Parliament has been without representation in the legislative house.
The situation of SALL has led to multiple advocacy efforts from citizens and groups impressing on the electoral commission to do the needful to give the people of SALL parliamentary representation.
According to some critics, the current situation is a worrying breach of the constitution and more troubling is the lack of legal consequence coming to bare.
