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The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) through its National Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi has issued 10 reasons why Ghanaians especially party members and sympathizers should vote ‘No’ in the upcoming December 17 referendum, but Ras Mubarak says he is not convinced.

According to the Member of Parliament for Kumbungu Constituency on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the arguments and the reasons for which his party is bowing out on its earlier stance is not enough to change his mind to vote ‘No’.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has given the following as the reasons why Ghanaians must vote ‘No’ in the upcoming December 17 referendum:

1. Vote NO to avoid the needless political divisiveness and rancor at the local level, and rather promote unity and cohesion at the local government level.

2. Vote NO to deepen stakeholder consultations and consensus-building for development at the local government level. This is what propels the development of local communities, not political grandstanding.

3. Vote NO for a less expensive and less monetized election system at the local government level. Local politics must not be the preserve of the highest bidder and those with moneybags.

4. Vote NO to encourage competent Ghanaians who don’t want to be tagged with partisanship to participate in governance at the local level.

5. Vote NO to avoid the party whip system and protect the independence of Assembly and unit committee members in decision-making at the local government level.

6. Vote NO to ensure the continuity of developmental projects at the local government level in the supreme interest of the community. The phenomenon of abandoned projects will only get worse if a YES vote is entertained.

7. Vote NO to deepen accountability of Assembly and unit committee members as well as elected MMDCEs to the people at the local government level.

8. Vote NO to avoid an expensive and exclusionary political primaries system which will produce mainly the affluent, the educated, etc. as assembly members and unit committee members.

9. Vote NO to avoid inimical partisan acrimony which sometimes prolongs even after elections, and ensure civility and decorum in local government elections.

10. Vote NO for community-interest decisions and not parochial partisan decisions at the local government level. Long before parties were formed, communities existed and governed themselves.

CONCLUSION: Enough of the extreme partisanship that ails Ghana’s development at the national level. VOTE NO, TO PROTECT GHANA’S LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM FROM DESTRUCTION. Ghana first!

Thank you.

NCB-HQ, NDC

But Ras Mubarak on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show averred that "I am not convinced by the argument that involving politics at our local level will destroy our country. Already, it is politicians who are controlling the various assemblies”.

“Are they fighting? Are they tearing each other up? But come to think of it, the NPP, NDC, CPP and the rest of the political parties, are we killing each other? We disagree to agree; where we have to build consensus, we build consensus. Which political system is perfect in the world? We have the Prime Minister with the Monarch as the head of the state, don’t they have problems? Does that mean that as they have problems, they should throw away the system they have agreed to practice?” he quizzed.

He maintained that there should be no justification whatsoever for any act of political violence but added it is also not enough reason to call off elections should there be problems in some parts of the 275 constituencies.