The President said the creation of new districts will bring development to the doorstep of many and deepen Ghana’s democratic processes.

[contextly_sidebar id=”UmPFq2Aoy2TuOLsr6ZfvG8Vlv4eYvocp”]The government has received some criticism over the creation of 38 new districts and municipalities across the country.

But speaking before some Chiefs from the Upper West Region at a meeting on Monday, President Akufo-Addo affirmed that decentralization was key to development.

“We want the decentralization exercise to succeed, to really bring the government closer to the doorstep of people and that is the way we will get better governance in our country. We believe in it strongly and that is the reason for the enhancement of the district assembly and districts across the country,” he said.

The 38 newly created districts officially commenced work last Thursday.

This was after the passing of a Legislative Instrument allowed for their creation as well as the carving out of some municipalities from other assemblies, and the elevation of some existing districts to municipality status.

This was followed by the Electoral Commission undertaking a field study into the viability of the creation of more Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

The field study was to consider the population dynamics in the respective regions, the geographical or physical features of the areas, their economic viability, as well as ethnic and community interests.

It also considered social infrastructure and the centrality and accessibility of the capital.

Critique of new districts

President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, is one of the critiques of this attempt at decentralization,and has said the 38 newly created local assemblies were needless.

Mr. Cudjoe argued that some of the existing assemblies are already struggling and that government should have put measures in place to boost their capacities instead of bringing new ones on-board.

“There’s basic geographic information that tells you that even if you want to do these type of division, at least look for some agglomeration of activity. You assume that you have to create it before the activities come, no. The districts are barely $1.5 billion worth averagely. You need to build the capability of the existing ones,” he noted

The list of new districts:

• Ahafo Ano South West District Assembly

• Ahafo Ano South East District Assembly

• Amansie South District Assembly

• Amansie West District Assembly

• Atwima Nwabiagya North District Assembly

• Adansi South District Assembly

• Akrofruom District Assembly

• Adansi North District Assembly

• Adansi Asokwa District Assembly

• Obuasi East District Assembly

• Afigya Kwabre South District Assembly

• Afigya Kwabre North District Assembly

• Pru West District Assembly)

• Pru East District Assembly)

• Berekum West District Assembly)

• Assin North District Assembly

• Gomoa Central District Assembly

• Gomoa East District Assembly

• Asene Manso District Assembly

• Okere District Assembly

• Atiwa West District Assembly

• Atiwa East District Assembly

• Fanteakwa South District Assembly

• Fanteakwa North District Assembly

• Nanton District Assembly

• Bunkpurugu District Assembly

• Yunyoo District Assembly)

• Bolga East District Assembly

• Garu District Assembly

• Tempane District Assembly

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By: Sammi Wiafe & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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They insist that Namong deserves such status because it has met the requirements required for the siting of the district capital.

[contextly_sidebar id=”onXsxBQMO16s9zdbrhecSubStQGPDXan”]President of the Konkomba Students Union (Gbintiri chapter), Emmanuel Gulari, at a news conference in Tamale described Namong as the economic hub of the Yunyoo constituency, hence their incessant demands.

“We know there were two communities and their leadership applied for the district capital of the yet to be created district in Yunyoo Constituency about six months ago. Yunyoo and Namong were the communities that applied for the district capital of which we the Konkombas form 76.84% of the total voter population in the constituency, unanimously chose Namong for the district capital to be sited after considering many factors.”

“The farming system in the area, facilities such as police station in Namong, building facilities to house the Assembly and its workers in Namong, Markets surrounding Namong, the catchment area of the community Namong, the secondary School in Namong  and above all, the political interest  of the people to have the district capital sited in Namong, and our total rejection if the district capital is sited at Yunyoo.”

According to Emmanuel Gulari, they earlier petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Electoral Commission, the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, Local  Government and Rural Development Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama and all the relevant authorities over their demand.

“On the 28^th July, 2017, we petitioned the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo –Addo, stating our facts on why an economically viable community like Namong deserves the district capital.

“On the 22^nd September 2017, we again submitted our resolution adopted at Gbunkurugu on the 31^st August, 2017  to the president of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the stance of Konkombas in the constituency and beyond.”

“The President paid a courtesy call on Nayiri, the king of Mamprugu on the 6^th of October, 2017, of which the office Konkomba Students Union presented a similar petition to His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, indicating why the union thinks the Konkombas in the Yunyoo constituency deserve the district capital of the yet to be created district.”

Emmanuel Gulari emphasized their demand saying, “To crown it all, we these groups upon several meetings and press conferences once again resolved that the district capital be given to a Konkomba community and Namong for that matter, and as a result, submitted another resolution through the Member of Parliament for Yunyoo Constituency, Hon. Joseph Bipoba Naabu and Konkomba Student Union President for Gbintiri Chapter, Mr. Emmanuel Gulari to the following offices.”

He expressed their disappointment over the relevant authorities’ failure to respond to their petition, hence the second petition to echo their demand.

“We expressly wish to make it known to the public that we have not received any responses from  these offices as of now, yet the maturity date for the Legislative Instrument for creation of new districts is getting closer, as we are noticed it will be on Tuesday, the 19^th of December, 2017.”

“We therefore wish to respectfully appeal to the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo –Addo, and the Minister for Local government, Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama, to kindly have a listening ear to our plea for the needed development, equity and a more united front to prevail in the area. To conclude, we wish to make it known and clear that any Konkomba community like  Nasuan, apart from Namong, having been considered by the government and the president of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, could be awarded the district capital of the yet to be created district.”

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Legislative Instruments seeing to their creation are yet to mature, thus the proposed districts are not yet to be recognized on government books to receive budgetary allocations by way of seed money.

[contextly_sidebar id=”NJ9TbN68VZsQU8srGzyCwSFflRv4LTcd”]”The fact is that, you can’t even say anything for the new districts. The same parliament will ask: where are the districts? We have not approved any districts. So until the LIs mature, you cannot ask for any money for any district,”  the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama noted to Citi News.

However, Hajia Mahama explained to Citi News that the new districts, when formally recognized, will draw funding from the District Assemblies Common Fund to start their activities.

“We will stake seed money from the District Assembly Fund to start the districts. So we explained to the committee that we cannot budget for districts because they are not yet there. The LI is not yet in place. The formula [for the allocation] will come before Parliament, so we will meet with the economic management committee, and put it in the formula, and the formula will come to parliament for approval.”

The Akufo-Addo government presented the LI for the creation of 38 new districts and municipal assemblies to Parliament in November.

The LI is to mature in 21 sitting days from Thursday, November 16, 2017, when it was laid.

The government is hopeful that the creation of these new districts will deepen Ghana’s democratic processes and boost the decentralization system.

Speaking to journalists after presenting the LI, Hajia Alima Mahama, said: “We’ve decided that we need to deepen our democratic process and decentralization system. There are some districts that have grown. We started district assemblies in 1988, the population of some of the district assemblies have even doubled. And the essence of our local governance system is to ensure that all persons in the district participate in the governance system and feel part of it. So we’ve decided to increase the number of districts, the districts that are big, divide them into other districts,” she added.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The LI, which will mature in the next 21 sitting days, seeks to also carve some municipalities from other assemblies, and also elevate some existing districts to municipality status.

Speaking to journalists after presenting the LI, the Local Government Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, said the move is to deepen Ghana’s democratic processes as well as the decentralization system.

“We’ve decided that we need to deepen our democratic process and decentralization system. There are some districts that have grown. We started district assemblies in 1988, the population of some of the district assemblies have even doubled. And the essence of our local government system is to ensure that all persons in the district participate in the governance system and feel part of the governance system. So we’ve decided to increase the number of districts, the districts that are big, divide them into other districts,” she added.

She however clarified that the new districts will not necessarily warrant the creation of new constituencies.

“For instance, you have Savelugu municipal assembly which includes Savelugu constituency and Nantong constituency. So that you have Nantong at its district, and Savelugu will remain a municipality. But in doing that, we have to come with an LI for Savelugu because you are changing its boundaries and an LI for Nantong, so that’s why the LIs look many,” she added.

Below is an infographic of the new districts and municipal assemblies as well as the elevated districts:

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Melvin Clottey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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The overlord of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council made this statement while addressing President Nana Akufo-Addo at the 2017 Manya Krobo Ngmayem Festival.

[contextly_sidebar id=”u7HlKxXeDCchqXz7tSda1LwJCcCZNQ8u”]”Our population has increased over time, new businesses have come in and there is pressure on existing amenities and my people are asking that a new district is created for us,” he said to the President.

“We believe we have earned it and it should be given to us because the creation of the new district will help us manage resources appropriately and judiciously,” the Kronor Of Manya Krobo stated.

More involvement in decision making for chiefs

Nene Sakite II, speaking on the lack of Traditional Rulers involvement in government, also pleaded with the President to consider giving chiefs and integral role in top government decision making and policies.

“When issues come up in the community the politically elected leaders are not there to provide solutions to, when electricity bills are skyrocketing the politicians are left out and chiefs are blamed.”

“Unity cannot be sold or bought and no country can develop in the midst of unrest and misunderstandings. Chiefs play a major role in ensuring a peaceful coexistence in the country. I, therefore, call on you Mr. President to use your office to provide Chiefs with resources to function in various capacities.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The company, the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, promised a prompt appeal.

Michael Johnson Sr. died in 1996 after smoking for more than 20 years. In 2006, his widow, Cynthia Robinson, of Pensacola, sued R. J. Reynolds the maker of the Kool brand cigarettes her husband had smoked, arguing that the company had deliberately concealed the health hazards its product caused.

The four-week trial ended Wednesday. The jury deliberated for 18 hours over two days, first awarding $17 million in compensatory damages and then emerging at 10 p.m. Friday with a $23.6 billion punitive judgment.

“When they first read the verdict, I know I heard ‘million,’ and I got so excited,” Ms. Robinson said in a phone interview Saturday. “Then the attorney informed me that was a ‘B’ — billion. It was just unbelievable.”

She said Mr. Johnson, a longshoreman and hotel shuttle bus driver to whom she was married from 1990 until his death six years later, began smoking around age 13. He often lit a fresh cigarette with the butt end of another.

“He really did smoke a lot,” she said.

He had two children, who are now 23 and 29.

“The damages awarded in this case are grossly excessive and impermissible under state and constitutional law,” J. Jeffery Raborn, vice president and assistant general counsel for R. J. Reynolds, said Saturday in a statement. “This verdict goes far beyond the realm of reasonableness and fairness and is completely inconsistent with the evidence presented. We plan to file post-trial motions with the trial court promptly and are confident that the court will follow the law and not allow this runaway verdict to stand.”

Such efforts by the industry are often successful. In October 2002, a Los Angeles jury awarded $28 billion in punitive damages against Philip Morris USA. In August 2011, an appeals court reduced the punitive damages to $28 million.

The Florida case was among the thousands of the so-called “Engle progeny” cases that stemmed from a 2006 court decision ruling that smokers could not file class-action suits but were free to do so individually.

That decision reversed a $145 billion verdict in a class action awarded in 2000 on behalf of a Miami Beach pediatrician, Howard A. Engle. An appeals court voided the award, saying it was excessive and the cases of individual smokers were too disparate to be considered as a class.

The plaintiffs petitioned the Florida Supreme Court, which upheld the decertification of the class but permitted individuals to sue, which set the stage for Ms. Robinson’s lawsuit.

Friday’s verdict was the highest granted to an Engle progeny case.

Ms. Robinson was represented by Christopher M. Chestnut, based in Georgia, and Willie E. Gary and Howard M. Acosta, both based in Florida.

“The jury just got it,” Mr. Chestnut said. “The jury was outraged with the concealment and the conspiracy to conceal that smoking was not only addictive but that there were deadly chemicals in cigarettes.”

He said the jury seemed most persuaded by 1994 C-Span footage of tobacco industry executives claiming smoking did not cause cancer and was not addictive, and by 60-year-old internal documents showing the company knew otherwise.

Scott P. Schlesinger, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., lawyer who has sued big tobacco but was not involved in the Robinson case, said a verdict this large is not typical.

“There have not been multibillion-dollar punishments in the Engle cases for one reason: We are afraid to ask for them. We are afraid of what will happen in the appellate process,” he said. “This verdict is important because it goes back to an ongoing saga that goes back to 1990. People have been filing suit one by one, and we have been winning about 70 percent of them.”

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Credit: New York Times

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