The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has directed the Special Budget Committee to demand clarity from the Electoral Commission (EC) on its plans to create the Guan Constituency.

Residents of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe have been without representation in Parliament since January 7th 2021.

During the consideration of the estimates of the Electoral Commission for 2022, it emerged that the constitutional instrument for the creation of the new constituency is with the Attorney General’s Department. But the Speaker wants clear timelines and a roadmap for the creation of the constituency.

“I want the Special Budget Committee to take it up and make sure that the instrument that we are told is before the AG’s department is presented before the House within a specified period. This is an urgent matter. The people of SALL will have to be represented in this Parliament. I take a serious view of this. I am directing that the Committee should take this matter up.”

The EC did not hold elections for registered voters in the Guan District to elect an MP during the 2020 polls due to the absence of a constituency.

The C.I. needed to create the constituency could not mature in the 7th Parliament.

The Guan District consists of the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) traditional areas.

Some residents from these areas sued the EC over their inability to vote.

The Guan District in the Oti Region was created following a Legislative Instrument laid in Parliament by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in 2019.

The area was previously part of the Hohoe Municipality.