Apostle De-Graft Osei wants EC to stop new seats
By Bernice Bessey
The Head of the Apostolic Faith Mission International, Apostle Dr. De-Graft Osei Kwame, has added his voice to others calling on the Electoral Commission (EC) to postpone or cancel the 45 newly created constitutions that are yet to be approved by the Parliament of Ghana.
According to him, the timing for the creation of the new constituencies was inappropriate, since the general elections were just two months away, even though he agrees perfectly with the concerns and reasons espoused by the EC boss, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan.
The Apostle expressed this concern at a press conference he addressed on Sunday, after church service in Accra.
He said the creation of the new constituencies had generated unwelcome debates and concerns amongst the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), which was a worrying trend to the peace the country was enjoying.
He noted that the concerns expressed by the NPP, that the implementation of the newly-created constituencies would deviate the country from achieving free and fair elections in December, were genuine.
He contended that the timing was wrong, since there were already hampers of problems on the biometric voter registration exercise that the EC must rather concentrate on.
He, nevertheless, agreed with the EC that Article 46 of the 1992 Constitution mandates it to embark on the creation of new constituencies, and since some of them were too large for a single Member of Parliament to handle, their concerns sounded good in some way.
“What is worrying is that both parties have taken entrenched positions. The situation, clearly, has generated increasing tension between the two sides,” he noted.
“There is, therefore, an urgent requirement for close cooperation amongst all concerned to address the increasing complex issues pertaining to [the] creation of the 45 constituencies, which has potential conflict undertones, and also has the tendency of erupting like a volcano and derailing the peace process if the situation is not managed well,” he warned.
Although, “Men of God” are always advised to reframe politics, especially, commenting on issues such as this, the Apostle, on the other hand, thinks such people were speaking out of ignorance, since it was the religious leaders who are called on to intercede for the nation in case of any turmoil.
He explained that because of public ridicule many religious leaders had kept silent to condemn issues that would even affect them, their families, and congregations.
“I am making this appeal, not because of any partisan inclination, but purely, as part of my civic duties, and also a minister of the gospel, whom God has designated as a watchman over the nation, and also a chosen spiritual leader responsible for the safety of the souls of the people that god has placed under my care,” he indicated.
Apostle Dr. De-Graft Osei Kwame called on the National House of Chiefs, Council of State, Christian Council, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic councils, National Muslim Council and other neutral bodies to assist the EC and the political parties to reach an amicable solution.
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