The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament are objecting to a Legislative Instrument (LI) laid before the house on Thursday for the creation of 42 new districts and constituencies, citing grave inconsistencies in the LI. Barring any development that would militate against the creation, the instrument will become legal in 21 days. The NPP MPs have questioned the motive for the president’s directive, and have argued that the additional districts and constituencies are simply a means of gaining undue political advantage for the ruling NDC in key strongholds. A ranking Member of Parliament’s Local Government Committee, Maxwell Kofi Jumah told Joy News’ Evans Mensah he and his colleagues would examine each district to ascertain whether its creation conforms to Act 642. “There are inconsistencies in the determination of the districts,” he explained, adding “there is obviously certain areas that have witnessed increase[s] in population growth [but] have not be considered. For example: Aflao, Amansie Central and Ejisu Juabeng.” He also observed that: “It is also quite worrying that areas that obviously do not qualify to be designated a district are being considered.” However, Local Government Minister Samuel Ofosu Ampofo told Joy News districts are created to expand frontiers of development and accelerate the rate of development, warning it is “dangerous” for anyone to oppose the exercise. He claimed the NPP might have increased districts in Ghana during their administration from 110 to 170 for political gains. Mr Ofosu Ampofo cited areas such as Akwatia, Ayensuano and Aburi Nsawam, all strongholds of the NPP in the Eastern Region, and maintained that “for anybody to say that it is being created to give undue political advantage to one party is for me the most disingenuous.” Nevertheless, Kofi Jumah rejected claims that creating a district would bring development. “I think he is begging the issue. By simply designating an area as a district does not bring development; if by doing that we can get development, then we can make every settlement in Ghana a district, and overnight bingo Ghana is developed. That is a warped logic and warped reason for anybody to attempt to deceive Ghanaians. Meanwhile, there is currently a suit pending before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the president’s executive directive for the creation of the additional districts. Lawyer Bright Okyere Agyekum, counsel for the plaintiff in the case has said it would be in the interest of parliament to suspend all procedures creating the districts and constituencies. He told Joy News they are seeking seven reliefs including an interpretation of the constitution to declare that the only organ of state eligible to create districts is parliament.