Six (6) candidates presented themselves for election in the upcoming Council of State polls to be held today Friday, February 12, 2021, in the Western Region but one candidate has resigned.
The five candidates to compete today comprises one female who is also a former Member of the Council for the region, Mrs Eunice Jacqueline Buah, a 56-year-old businesswoman.
The rest are Mr Ntori-Bonkyi Akomea, 53, self-employed; Mr Daniel Quayson, 65, Finance and Accounting professional; Nana Kwesi, 72, Records and Archival Administrator; and Mr Stephen Herbert Ocran, 68, a Jurist.
However, Mr Dramani Kwabena, 45, an Environmental Health Analyst who had filed his nomination to contest for the enviable position later withdrawn from the contest.
An invitation letter signed by Mr Samuel Tutuani, Assistant Director 1 at the RCC and sent to Spice Newsroom has it that the election would be conducted at the Conference Room of the Regional Coordinating Council (WRCC) while the election would be supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC) in the region.
The Council of State was established by Articles 89 to 92 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and states that, “There shall be a Council of State to counsel the President in the performance of his functions.”
The Council of State in Ghana is a body of prominent citizens, comparable to the Council of Elders in the traditional political system, which advises the President on national issues.
Per the Act that established the Council of State, it should include a former Chief Justice (CJ) of Ghana, a former Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), a former Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the President of the National House of Chiefs (NHC).
In addition, each region of Ghana also has an elected representative while the President also has the right to appoint eleven (11) members, and the entire membership stays in office until the term of office of the President ends.
The Council is required to meet four times a year and can also meet if requested by the President, Parliament or by at least five sitting Members of the Council. The Council also regulates its procedures subject to provisions of Ghana’s Constitution.
There should be more than half of the members of the Council at a meeting to form a quorum while the decisions of the Council are valid if voted for by the majority of members present at the meeting.
All candidates are expected to have two registered voters to propose and second with 20 supported voters.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
