The Council of State has advised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint a Commission of Enquiry to inquire into the need for the creation of new regions in Ghana and make recommendations on all the factors involved.

According to Nana Otuo Siriboe II, Chairman of the Council, the petitions submitted and the detailed briefing by the Hon. Minister for Regional Reorganization and Development clearly indicated a substantial demand for the creation of new regions.

Nana Otuo Siriboe II, who was speaking at a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House in Accra on Tuesday, indicated that the Council meticulously studied the over 300-page petitions, accompanied with maps and data, sent to it by the President, last June.

He commended the Minister for Regional Reorganization and Development, Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, for the elaborate home work he did on the exercise, including the extensive literature review on Ghana’s geo-political structure.

Nana Otuo Siriboe II noted that even though the Council of State was required under Article 91 (3) of the 1992 Constitution to make recommendations upon request or on its own initiative on any matter being considered by Parliament and other organs of State, there had not been any formal structures to give depth and breadth to this constitutional provision, since the inception of the 4th Republic some 25 years ago.

To remedy the situation and, particularly, to afford the Council the opportunity to contribute to Bills being considered by Parliament, he disclosed that the Legal, Constitutional and Petitions sub-committee of the Council had met with the Speaker and Leadership of Parliament to discuss processes to be laid down to ensure a harmonious working relationship between the Council and Parliament.

He said since June 20, 2017, the Council had met fourteen (14) times in plenary and sub-committee sessions, bringing the total number of meetings since their inauguration some five and half months ago, to thirty six (36).

During the two-month period, Nana Otuo Siriboe II said, the Council approved the appointments to thirty two (32) Boards of State Institutions and Universities, taking into consideration the Statutes that set them up to ensure compliance with the law, a critical examination of the Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of the nominees, vis-à-vis their expected roles and responsibilities, as well as gender balance.

He disclosed that the Council had received a request from the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament and the leadership of Parliament to revert the former Assembly Press normally referred to as the Government Printer to it (Parliament).

He explained that the military governments of the country had removed the Assembly Press from Parliamentary control since there was no Parliament and converted it to State Publishing Corporation.

In effect, Nana Otuo Siriboe II said, Parliament no longer had a printing house to publish the Gazette, Bills and, most importantly, the Hansard, which are valuable tools for democratic governance.

In his remarks, President Akufo-Addo commended the Council of State for the speedy and meticulous manner in which it carried its work.

Source: ISD (Rex Mainoo Yeboah)