Minister for Regional Re-organization, Dan Kwaku Bowte, is fighting off claims that moves to create new regions are a waste of time because that will not lead to development.
The Regional Re-organization Minister is convinced the six new regions will lead to better management of Ghana’s resources to boost development.
“Government gets closer to the people...there will better supervision,” he defends.
Dan Botwe made the comments on the sidelines of a stakeholder’s forum organised by the Local Government Ministry.
Critics of the plan to create the new regions have said suggestions that new regions will ensure the harnessing of natural resources were untenable because the bottlenecks to Ghana’s development are a lack of efficiency and poor management of existing resources.
However, Dan Botwe told Joy News even the Local Government Act acknowledges the need for a decentralisation of development. The new regions, he argues, will promote the decentralisation of development agenda.
“That will make sure that the monies and the resources that we send down are better utilised. So for me...if we expand our bureaucracy it is the same Ghanaians we are going to employ,” he said.
Council of State approves
The Council of State unanimously approved the proposal to create the regions after studying petitions on the matter.
The Council, therefore, advised President Akufo-Addo to appoint a Commission of Enquiry “to inquire into the need and to make recommendations on all the factors involved in the creation of the new regions.”
Having received a favourable response from the Council of State, the President is mandated by the Constitution to appoint a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the need for the creation of the new region.
Should the Commission be convinced that such a need pertains, it will recommend the places and issues for a referendum. The matter will then be referred to the Electoral Commission for a referendum to be held according to the recommendations of the Commission.
Six new regions
The six regions would be created from existing four regions.
The regions are likely to come from the Western Region, where the new 'Western North Region' is expected to be created; Brong-Ahafo Region where two new regions – Brong East and West regions– are expected.
The Northern Region may also see two more regions and Oti Region is being created from the Volta Region.
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