Chiefs Urges Authorities To Act on Re-Zoning Electoral Boundaries

Kpassa (V/R), Nov 16, GNA -The chiefs and people of Jumbo and Agou, said to be“no-man's-land” between the Nkwanta North and Nkwanta South districts, have called on the agencies responsible for re-zoning of districts and electoral boundaries to take action on recommendations reached to avoid further disenfranchising them.

These communities, which are on the southern fringes of the Nkwanta North district capital, Kpassa with the Kpassa River as a border, have boycotted both national and local government level elections since 2003, stemming from their request to be part of Nkwanta North district.

Jumbo and Agou are currently under the Nkwanta South District by legislation.

Mr James Blema, Assemblyman for the area, who addressed the media at Agou on the subject, said “Our patience is running out. It looks like we are going to be disenfranchised again.”

He appealed to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Electoral Commission to expedite action on the recommendations of the Dispute Boundary Committee and set the records straight.

“People are poised to exercise their franchise this time around after subjecting ourselves to the recent biometric registration exercise but we are apprehensive inactivity on the part of the authorities will deny us our civic responsibility of voting,” Mr Blema said.

He said Jumbo and Agou with population estimated at 5,000 had been relegated to the periphery of national politics, development and inclusion, which are affront to the national Constitution.

Ubor Lason II, Chief of Jumbo, told the GNA that the socio-economic impact of non-alignment of the district boundary has become unbearable as the area is denied development projects and other social interventions not even from Nkwanta South District.

He enumerated the challenges such as 200 children still attending schools under trees, unavailability of teachers and their children denied access to free school uniforms and exercise books due to their “no-man's-land” status.

Ubor Lason said there was no negotiation about their request, which is knotted on strong linguistic ties and cultural characteristics with natural justice pointing that “our kinsmen will contribute their development quotas to the North than South.”

Mrs Lawrencia Kpatakpa, Volta Regional Director of Electoral Commission, said the Presidential Committee had presented its report to the appropriate quarters for action.

She said the EC could not do otherwise than to maintain the status quo.

GNA