Claim: A Facebook post by Afia Pokuaa claimed that the Electoral Commission of Ghana wants to create 25 new constituencies.
Verdict: Misleading. In a presser, the EC of Ghana emphasised that only the Guan constituency is being created.
Full Text
The Parliament of Ghana has 275 members representing the interests of citizens in each constituency and across the country. In what has been described as a hung Parliament, the chamber comprises 137 members of parliament from both the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress and one independent candidate who has decided to do business with the New Patriotic Party.
With elections in 2024 approaching, citizens have less than 14 months to decide who will represent their constituencies in parliament from Jan. 2025 to Jan. 2029.
Ahead of that election, reports on mainstream media, as well as social media, are suggesting that the EC was contemplating adding 25 new constituencies in the upcoming elections in 2024. Myjoyonline.com, one of Ghana’s credible online platforms, posted a story indicating the EC had taken steps to add 25 new constituencies.
According to the publication, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, was on the verge of presenting a new amendment titled the “Representation of the People (Parliamentary Constituencies Amendment) Instrument 2023” before the house.
A senior journalist, Afia Pokuaa, on her Facebook page also suggested the same. Find the post here.
“Like joke, like a joke, E.C. wants to create 25 new constituencies to make 300 parliamentary seats? 30 years of EX-GRATIA = 0🤔,” the post posited.
There have been several reactions to the claims, with many people berating the EC.
This claim could misinform people, and as a result, DUBAWA decided to investigate.
Verification
According to Article 47 (5) of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (1992), the Electoral Commission shall review the division of Ghana into constituencies at intervals not less than seven years. Also, the EC can review the division into constituencies within twelve months after enumeration figures have been published after a population census.
In a presser released on Oct. 31, 2023, the Electoral Commission of Ghana debunked the claim that it intends to create 25 additional constituencies for the upcoming elections in 2024.
“The commission wishes to state for the information of the general public that it is only creating One Constituency, which is the Guan Constituency in the Oti Region. The Commission has not taken any decision on creating constituencies beyond that of the Guan,” the presser stated.
Mr Micheal Boadu, AG. The head of Public Affairs at the EC of Ghana urged the public to disregard any such claims in the media.
Shortly after the denial, Myjoyonline.com published a story indicating that the EC would create one constituency, which was already in the works, and not 25 new constituencies.
Find other publications that clarify the EC of Ghana’s intention of creating just a single constituency here, here, and here. These publications indicated that the EC had presented a Constitutional Instrument to Parliament to establish the Guan constituency.
Conclusion
The claim that the EC of Ghana is creating 25 new constituencies is misleading. The EC is creating just the Guan Constituency in the Oti Region.
