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Ghanaian Lawyer Frank Davies Demands Voting Rights Restoration for SALL Communities
Nov 1, 2024
Prominent Ghanaian lawyer Frank Davies has called on the government to restore voting rights for the SALL (Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi) communities, whose residents have been excluded from parliamentary representation. Speaking in a recent interview, Davies emphasized that the ongoing disenfranchisement of these communities in the Oti Region is a violation of democratic principles and an infringement on the constitutional rights of SALL residents. He urged immediate government intervention to ensure that SALL citizens regain their voting rights in parliamentary elections.
The issue stems from the 2020 parliamentary elections, in which SALL residents were barred from voting due to boundary complications that arose following the establishment of the Oti Region. Although SALL residents were permitted to vote in the presidential election, they were excluded from voting for a Member of Parliament (MP). This left SALL without direct representation in Parliament, sparking widespread criticism from civil society organizations, political parties, and human rights advocates. These groups view the exclusion of SALL from parliamentary representation as a severe violation of democratic rights.
“The situation with SALL has gone on too long,” Davies stated. “Every Ghanaian citizen deserves the right to elect their representatives, and the people of SALL should not be left out of this process.” He argued that denying any group the right to vote undermines the foundations of democracy and sets a dangerous precedent. Davies appealed to the government, Parliament, and the Electoral Commission (EC) to prioritize addressing the issue, so that SALL communities are included in future elections, including the upcoming 2024 parliamentary election.
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