Hearings of petitions by the Commission of Enquiry for the creation of new regions in the country has taken off today November 21, 2017.
The commission will attend to the petitioners from the Brong Ahafo, Northern, Western and Volta regions, who would be expected to provide further explanations to their request.
A delegation of Chiefs, Members of Parliament, and staff of the Western-North secretariat of the Western region are being engaged by the commission in-camera.
President Akufo-Addo referred petitions from Chiefs and organizations of the new regions to the Council of State for advice, which were approved.
Speaking at the opening of today’s hearing, Chairman of the Commission, Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey said the commission will give all the petitioners a fair hearing.
“The purpose of today’s meeting is to afford the commission the opportunity to hear at first hand from persons who have submitted petitions for the creation of regions. We are starting today by hearing petitioners for the creation of a region out of the Western region. We would like the various petitioners to make their cases before us by a spokesperson or spokespersons of not more than three, who may speak at different times. After the spokespersons have concluded their presentations, any of the petitioners may add points which they believe might have been left out by the spokespersons. As stated already the hearing has been organised for those who have already petitioned the President for the creation of news regions.”
Petitions
At least six petitions have so far been received from petitioners from the four regions requesting the creation of new regions out of the existing 10.
“The Commission will meet the representatives of the petitioners from the Western Region on November 21, the Volta Region on November 22 , those from Brong Ahafo on November 23 and 28 while petitions from the Northern Region will be heard on November 29 and December 5, 2017 respectively,” The Minister of Regional Re-organisation and Development, Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, told a Press conference ahead of the Hearing.
