The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has expressed his dissatisfaction with what he believes is government’s reluctance to provide relief support to people affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.

Ablakwa said government has neglected the affected persons most of whom are constituents of North Tongu.

The controlled spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15 flooded communities in over four regions across the country, bringing untold suffering to the affected people.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, the North Tongu legislator was angry with the Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, for failing to provide measures being taken by the government to lessen the plight of the affected people when he appeared before Parliament.

He was dissatisfied with the Minister’s defense of the Volta River Authority (VRA) for the spillage of the dam, which he told Parliament was necessary to protect the structural integrity of the dam and the people living downstream.

Ablakwa also denied taking relief items on behalf of his constituents from the VRA.

“There is this false claim that VRA is sharing relief items and MPs have received relief items. You will have constituents chasing you that, Mr. MP, we heard the Energy Minister in Parliament reveal that you guys have received the items, and you have not given them to us, you have not been transparent with us.”

He further bemoaned the government’s lack of interest in supporting the affected people despite a national rally of support coming from corporate organizations and individuals.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has requested the withdrawal of the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) on the creation of the Guan constituency, citing a lack of sufficient time to meet a constitutionally mandated 21-day period before Parliament’s recess.

The constituency, which encompasses the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) traditional areas, was intended to allow residents to participate in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

However, the EC has determined that the necessary procedures cannot be completed within the required timeframe.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu confirmed the EC’s withdrawal request, stating that the decision was made due to the impending district-level election and the need to align the constituency creation with the election process.

“They submitted a request to withdraw it and the very day of reconvening, they had submitted it for presentation and concurrently, they had submitted another one for its withdrawal.

“The reason for the withdrawal was simple. It was that if you created a constituency, you then needed to hold the District Level Election to conform to the creation of the constituency. However, there was not going to be any constituency at that time,” he noted.

But Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, however, disagrees with the EC’s decision, arguing that the district-level election for the Guan constituency can be held after the election of assembly members for other constituencies.

He maintains that the EC does not have valid grounds for withdrawing the C.I.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has opened nominations for the district level elections.

Interested candidates are required to pick up nomination forms from the district offices of the Electoral Commission.

Completed nomination forms are to be filled and submitted in quadruplicate by the candidate or the proposer or seconder together with two copies of a recent post-card bust sized photograph to the returning officer of the electoral area for which the candidate seeks election, from the 16th to the 17th of November 2023 between the hours of nine o’clock in the morning to twelve noon and two o’clock to five o’clock in the evening on each day.

A communiqué from the Electoral Commission announcing the opening of nominations said the elections are expected to take place on December 19, 2023.

Below is the EC’s communiqué.

In accordance with the District Level Elections Regulations, 2015 (C.I. 89), the Electoral Commission will conduct the District Level Elections on the 19th of December, 2023. This follows the expiration of the term of the Assembly and Unit Committee Members on the 17th of December, 2023.

Nomination Forms may be obtained free of charge at the District Offices of the Electoral Commission across the country or on the Website of the Electoral Commission (www.ec.gov.gh).

Completed Nomination Forms must be delivered in quadruplicate by the Candidate or the Proposer or Seconder together with two copies of a recent post-card bust sized photographs to the Returning Officer of the Electoral Area for which the Candidate seeks election, from the 16th to the 17th of November, 2023 between the hours of nine o’clock in the morning to twelve noon and two o’clock to five o’clock in the evening on each day.

Nominations for the District Assembly Elections shall be witnessed by the signature or mark of the Proposer and the Seconder and supported by eighteen (18) other persons who are residents and registered voters in the Electoral Area.

Nominations for the Unit Committee Elections shall be witnessed by the signature or mark of the Proposer and the Seconder and supported by eight (8) other persons who are residents and registered voters in the Electoral Area.

All enquiries related to these Elections should be addressed to the District Officers of the Electoral Commission in all the Districts in the Country