President Nana Akufo-Addo is set to constitute a Commission of Inquiry to advice on how to proceed with the creation of new regions in Ghana.

This follows a decision by the Council of State to approve a request from chiefs for the creation of the proposed regions.

Members of the Council of State gave the all clear for the new regions after they perused a 312 paged petition forwarded to them by the president.

Chiefs in four of Ghana’s regions- Northern, Volta, Brong Ahafo and Western Region- submitted the petition demanding for the creation and justifying the necessity for same.

“After we meticulously studied the petition with accompanying maps and statistical data, there is a substantial demand for the creation of new,” Chair of the Council, Nana Otuo Sereboe told the president.

He commended the Minister of Regional Reorganisation and Development, Dan Kweku Botwe for doing a thorough job in researching and providing concrete justification for the creation of the new regions.

Speaking to Joy News about the new development, Mr Botwe said with the green light from the Council of State, a Commission of Inquiry will soon be constituted.

“The next line of action is for the president to set up a commission of inquiry and they will do their work, submit a recommendation which will be given to the Electoral Commission to conduct a referendum,” he explained.

He would not say exactly when the commission will be constituted and who will be part of the commission, except to say the president considers this as an important national assignment and will treat it as such.

“I believe the president is seized with the facts and will select people who are accepted by society and who are very well vexed in this type of work.

He added the constitution even gives a guidance on how the new regions will be created and how to constitute commissions of enquiry and the president will follow just that.

Mr Dan Botwe could not give timelines as to when the process will be completed but expects the commission to do a thorough work with lots of consultation across the country.

He said the government will make sure the people own the process.

“The last time a region was created was in 1983 and it was a military regime and did not have to go through all these,” he said.

Under a democratic regime, he expects a thorough work and not too concerned about the timelines.

“After the thorough work the rest will be the referendum by the Electoral Commission which should not take a lot of time,” he stated.