A survey on interest, knowledge and awareness of citizens on the upcoming referendum on proposed creation of new regions has shown that there is high interest amongst citizens in the affected areas regarding the issue and they believe it is necessary to create new regions.
The survey, which was conducted in the affected areas in the Northern Region a month ago, also revealed that some of the residents do not know the real percentage required for the proposal to go through while others are also calling for tight security especially on the voting day to ensure safety.
It was conducted by NORSAAC, a civil society organization, as part of its “The Referendum We Want” project with funding from STAR Ghana to amongst others influence national level discourse and actions using evidence from the north.
It was released at a forum in Tamale attended by representatives from CSOs, academia, public institutions, youth groups and media practitioners.
Mr Alhassan Mohammed Awal, Executive Director of NORSAAC, who spoke during the release of the survey, called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to publish the total number of registered voters in the proposed regions and the number required out of the total figure for the proposal to succeed or fail.
Mr Awal also advised people campaigning for the creation of the new regions to stop intimidating those against the creation of the regions as it was within their democratic rights to do so.
The referendum on the proposed creation of new regions will be conducted next week Thursday, December 27, to create six new regions, two each out of the Northern and Brong Ahafo regions and one each out of the Western and Volta regions.
For the proposal to go through there is need for at least a 50 per cent turnout of registered voters in the proposed areas out of which 80 per cent should vote in the affirmative.
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