The Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has stated that no constituency has been left without representation in Parliament. His statement comes in response to the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who expressed disappointment over the delay in electing a representative for the residents of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL).
The 2020 elections in Ghana have been marred by controversy, particularly concerning the alleged disenfranchisement of the SALL community. The Electoral Commission (EC) has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with critics such as Franklin Cudjoe, the president of IMANI Africa, accusing the EC of gross incompetence. Mr. Cudjoe argues that the actions of the EC led to the disenfranchisement of the SALL community.
However, the EC has refuted these allegations. They explained that the inability of SALL voters to participate in the parliamentary elections on December 7, 2020, was not a deliberate act of disenfranchisement. The EC clarified that it was unable to establish the Guan constituency, which would have included SALL, due to late requests and the fact that Parliament was in recess at the time.
In a rebuttal to Dr. Forson’s claim in Parliament on Friday, the Majority Leader emphasized that no constituency was excluded from the 2020 elections. Mr. Afenyo-Markin urged the Minority Leader to avoid misleading Ghanaians and to ensure his facts are accurate before making such claims.
“The issue of the creation of a constituency for representation is a matter for the EC. And in this 8th Parliament, no constituency has been denied representation. At the time of the 2020 election, Mr. Speaker, no such constituency was left out in the 2020 election. So, Mr. Speaker, the Minority Leader should not mislead the people of Ghana. When he is raising issues of the constitution, he should be well-grounded and ensure that the right thing is done,” he stated.
