This has generated debate amongst various interest groups in the Northern Region some of who have suggested that the non-availability of a final voters’ register just a week to the referendum portrays the EC as not prepared for the exercise.

Some of the interest groups have argued that the EC should by now have published the total number of registered voters in the proposed regions where the referendum would be held, so as to avoid suspicions of manipulations.

These issues came to light at a forum to disseminate survey results on interest, knowledge and awareness of citizens on the upcoming referendum on proposed creation of new regions in Tamale on Wednesday, attended by representatives from civil society organization (CSOs), academia, public institutions, youth groups and media practitioners.

The survey was conducted by NORSAAC, a CSO, as part of its “The Referendum We Want” project with funding from STAR Ghana to amongst others influence national level discourse and actions using evidence from the north.

The survey was conducted just a month ago in the areas of the proposed new regions in the Northern Region. It found that whiles many people were aware of the proposed referendum; some did not know the percentages required to make the proposal succeed or fail, others also believed it was necessary to create new regions and some also called for tight security, especially on the voting day to assure especially those against the creation of new regions of safety.

The referendum will be conducted next week Thursday, December 27, to create six new regions, two each out of the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions and one each out of the Western and Volta Regions.

For the proposal to succeed there is need for a 50 per cent turnout of registered voters in the proposed areas out of which 80 per cent should vote in the affirmative. Mr Alhassan Mohammed Awal, Executive Director of NORSAAC, who was one of the speakers at the forum, called on the EC to publish the total number of registered voters in the proposed regions and the number required out of the total figure for the proposal to succeed or fail.

Mr Awal also advised people campaigning for the creation of the new regions to stop intimidating those against the creation of the regions as it was within their democratic rights to do so.

Others raised issues such as who would be working as poling agents especially for those against the creation of the regions, calling for improved security to safeguard the votes of all. Mr Emmanuel Abeam Danso, Deputy Northern Regional Director of EC, said the voters’ register had been updated following the recent voters’ exhibition exercise, adding that the final voters’ register would soon be delivered alongside the ballot papers for the referendum.

Mr Danso said the EC was undertaking a vigorous voters’ education exercise in the proposed new regions to ensure that people were well-informed about the exercise.