The election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) as captured in the 2016 manifesto of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will start from 2018, president-elect Nana Akufo-Addo has disclosed.
MMDCEs are pursuant to Article 243(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 20(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, Act 462 nominated by the president are also required by the law to be approved by majority of members of the assembly.Â
Many have criticised this mode of appointment saying only a handful of people get to decide to gets to be the political authority in the MMDAs.
The NPP during the 2016 campaign, promised to make the position and electable one and went ahead to capture it in their manifesto.
Addressing the Central Regional House of Chiefs in Cape Coast as part of his ‘Thank you tour’, Mr Akufo-Addo revealed that he would work closely with chiefs across the country by consulting them in the appointment of new MMDCEs until 2018 when elections should be held to fill the positions.
"In 2018, we are going to move to fully elected District Assembly representations including the choice of the District chief Executive (DCE). It is going to be done by the people of the districts and no longer by the nomination of the President.â€
"But between now and then, all appointments to the District Assemblies is going to be by close consultation between my government and you the traditional authorities,†he added.
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‘Elected MMDCE’s will ‘sabotage governments’ Although many have argued that electing MMDCEs will help ensure high performance and proper accountability of local assemblies, local government expert, Professor Kwamena Ahwoi in an earlier interview said any such move will deepen disunity at the grassroots. He said that the “DCEs would like to unseat the government for their party to come to power, [and] it will be difficult for any partisan government to implement its programs through hostile DCEs.†- See more at:Â