Deputy Local Government Minister, Osei Bonsu Amoah, has said ‘No’ campaigners in the December 17 referendum on grounds that partisan politics at the national level is chaotic are making an unfortunate argument.

The MP for Akuapem South said campaigning against the referendum that seeks to make district level elections partisan due to the challenges of partisan politics defeats Ghana’s decision to adopt multi-party democracy in 1992.

“It’s just like saying that we have reckless people in the media so media is not important. Or saying that chieftaincy can bring conflict, division and violence so chieftaincy is not important.

“If that is how you want to look at it then we will not make any progress because no system is perfect and if you have a problem with a system you try to correct it than to bastardise it or create the impression that it is not useful so we shouldn’t replicate it,” he said on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday.

Civil society and political commentators are divided sharply about whether political parties should be involved in the election of assembly and unit committee members.

‘Yes’ campaigners site the existing influence and interference by political parties in district-level elections.

They also say the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) along partisan lines will deepen Ghana’s multi-party democracy.

‘No’ campaigners fear that the division and winner-takes-all feature of national-level politics will be replicated at the district level.

‘No’ campaigners also believe that even if MMDCEs and their unit committee members should be elected, it should be done it should not be along partisan lines.

They say a parliamentary amendment of article 243 – by a two-thirds majority of MPs – should be enough for MMDCEs and their unit committee members to be elected.

Related: Prof Ahwoi warns against ‘Brexit situation’ after ‘Yes’ victory in Dec 17 referendum

While the government backs a ‘Yes’ vote, the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) backs a ‘No’ vote.

Speaking on the matter on the Super Morning Show, Mr OB Amoah said a ‘No’ vote is tantamount to calling for a no-party state or one-party political system.

He believes the National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, should be backing a ‘Yes’ campaign.

“I was even surprised to hear a whole chairman of a political party (NDC) which exists under the Constitution, a political party which has run this country for 16 good years, to say that ‘hey if you send it down there will be chaos and violence and confusion’…its very unfortunate. In actual fact, if I am to be blunt I will say that he should come again otherwise he doesn’t deserve to lead any political party,” he said.