Human Right and Governance Centre calls for cancellation of Dec. 17 referendum 

Human Right and Governance Centre is calling for the cancellation of the upcoming December 17 referendum.

Executive Director for the Centre, Lawyer Martin Kpebu in a Citi FM interview said it is not advisable to allow political participation at the local level.

"We are not happy with the NDC, NPP way of politics, so let's keep the current system the way it is, certainly on Thursday parliament is going to vote on the elections of the mayors, MMDCEs, so parliament will decide on that bill so it means that all things being equal parliament is going to pass that law so that the DCEs can be elected, that is sufficient let's take it one day at a time, as for making it on partisan lines I strongly oppose it, we are voting no in actually fact we are calling for a cancellation of the referendum...."

The Dec. 17 referendum is to determine whether to amend Article 55 clause (3) or not which is an entrenched provision in the 1992 Constitution which bars political parties from participating in district-level elections.

Vote No

Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Mahama has supported his party's stance on the December 17 referendum.

READ ALSO: Referendum: Ghana is no exception to local gov't politics - Okyenhene canvasses for 'Yes' vote

The NDC has made it clear that are against the decision to elect local assembly representatives along partisan lines.

They have urged Ghanaians to vote 'No' in the referendum. Mahama speaking to the media in WA explained that electing Local Government representatives along partisan lines while giving the President power to appoint 10 percent of the members of the assembly is not tenable.

He said the NDC has asked for some amendments to be done and if not they will go ahead to vote 'NO'.

Vote Yes

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), has described the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) 'NO' campaign for the upcoming referendum as a betrayal of the Ghanaian people.

The NPP at a press conference on Monday, November 18, 2019, described the unexpected change of the NDC as an "unpatriotic betrayal of the Ghanaian people” and “a naked show of dishonesty, deceit, indecision, lack of candour and integrity from the biggest opposition party in the country".

READ ALSO: Nat’l House of Chiefs calls on Ghanaians to vote 'No' in December referendum

"There is a strong school of thought, ladies and gentlemen, that the only thing that can explain the NDC’s unexpected U-turn is that they are fully aware of the difficult task of getting the amendment through without a consensus."

"They knew very well but pretended they were in favour until this last minute when huge state resources have been committed into such an important exercise", Mr Boadu lamented.

The NPP emphasized that a “Yes” vote was neither about the NPP nor NDC but what was good for Ghana.