The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has disclosed that neither the Akufo-Addo government nor the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), consulted them on the December 17 referendum.

Johnson Asiedu Nketiah said the only fora they have met at were the ones organised by civil society organisations.

Speaking to Evans Mensah Wednesday on PM Express on JoyNews, the NDC scribe said perceptions being created that they had dialogues with the governing party on the pending issue are wrong

The party declared it would back the ‘NO’ campaign in the referendum to either accept or reject an amendment to Article 55/3 of the Constitution which would allow political party participation at the local government level.

It then whipped all its MPs into supporting the position which has been described as snap.

The NPP and Akufo-Addo-led administration who have backed the amendment accused the NDC of mischief.

General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, at a press conference, questioned the motive of the NDC’s sudden position.

John Boadu has accused the NDC of mischief

He said if the party had issues with the amendment, they had earlier opportunities to voice them.

The NDC, in its defence, says, its new position is grounded in thorough deliberations of a committee of experts it put together to advise the party on the referendum.

The Professor Kwamena Ahwoi committee among other salient reasons advised the NDC that introducing partisan politics at the district assemblies and lower government units would bring the ills at the national level to the doorstep of the people.

But ‘YES’ campaigners say partisan politics at the local level would cure the winner takes all in the executive structure of the country.

Smaller parties who have been alienated by the duopoly of the NDC and the NPP would also get a share in their home Districts, they argue.

But the People’s National Convention (PNC) one of such small parties have backed the ‘NO’ campaign.

Chairman of the party, Bernard Mornah buys the idea partisanship at the local assemblies would polarise the country further.

He told JoyNews people advancing the argument for smaller parties have no idea about the workings of the local government system.

Partisan politics at the local government is simply too much financial burden for parties and their members, he argued.