All set for Council of State elections today

Two persons each from the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country are expected to elect their respective regional representatives to serve on the Council of State today.

The mandate of the electoral college is to choose 16 out of 155 candidates, made up of 145 males and 10 females, who filed their nominations to contest for slots in the high office.

The election will take place in the 16 regional capitals in the country.

EC

The Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Benjamin Bano-Bio, told the Daily Graphic that the election management body responsible for the conduct of the Regional Council of State election was on course.

“Everything is on course. We are set to take off in the morning”, adding that, “Ballot papers and all required documents have been deployed to the regions.”

Mr Bano-Bio said the registers for the election were also ready.

Regional breakdown

In the Greater Accra Region, 13 males filed to contest the region’s single slot on the Council of State.

Western Region has seven males and two females contesting the election while Central Region has eight males and a female.

On the other hand, 27 males and two females filed their nominations to contest in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.

In the Bono Region, 10 individuals filed to compete for the slot while 11 and eight persons filed to contest in the Bono East and Ahafo regions, respectively.

Northern Region has four males contesting the regional Council of State election, with Volta Region having an all-male affair of 13 candidates.

Eleven candidates, all males, filed their nominations to contest for the Upper West Region ticket while the Upper East Region has nine men contesting.

In the Volta Region, 13 people are vying for the single slot while 12 candidates, comprising 10 males and two females, are seeking to represent the Ashanti Region on the Council of State.

The Western North has three candidates contesting the election while the Savannah Region has four males vying for the single slot for the region.

However, the Oti Region has eight candidates in the all-men race and the North East Region has seven men contesting.

Background

Articles 89 to 92 of the 1992 Constitution recommend setting up the Council of State to counsel the President in the performance of his duties.

Its membership includes a former Chief Justice, a former Chief of the Defence Staff and a former Inspector-General of Police, each appointed by the President in consultation with Parliament.

Other members are the President of the National House of Chiefs; one representative from each region, and 11 other members appointed by the President.

The Council of State elects its chairman from among its members.

The members hold office until the end of the term of office of the President unless a member resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated or the appointment is terminated by the President on grounds of stated misbehaviour or of inability to perform his/her functions arising from infirmity of body or mind, and with the prior approval of Parliament.

Among its duties, the President can request the council to consider a bill published in the Gazette or passed by Parliament.

The Council of State shall also consider and advise the President or any other authority in respect of any appointment which is required by the Constitution or any other law to be made in accordance with the advice of, or in consultation with the Council of State.