Accra, 04 December, 2019 / 12:46 am (ACI Africa).
Following the December 1 decision by Ghana’s president to call off the referendum scheduled for December 17 in which Ghanaians were to vote on whether to allow or deny Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) participate in local elections based on party affiliations, Catholic Bishops in the West African country have reacted to the move, terming the decision “good news.”
“It’s not only good news but also (good for) the welfare of the country which is very paramount; so if we have a President who listens to the views of the citizens and acts according to their will, then it’s very pleasing,” Vice-President of Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) Archbishop Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle has been quoted as saying in an interview with an Accra-based FM radio station.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo instructed the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama, who is spearheading the poll to call off process and see to the withdrawal of the bills for the amendment of the Constitution, both in respect to article 243(1) and article 55(3).
According to the Archbishop Palmer-Buckle of Cape Coast, the postponement will allow government agencies to carry out adequate civic education, to allow citizens to make an informed choice when the referendum is rescheduled.
“Before we can undertake such an exercise, there should be extensive education for us to understand; when we get to understand the issues better, we can then make a very informed choice based on knowledge about the subject matter,” the Ghanaian Prelate has said.
