President Mahama supports election of MMDCEs
President John Dramani Mahama on Monday stated that the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) should be gradual to gain a foothold.
He said although he supports the election of MMDCEs there is the need for the nation to tread cautiously to avoid politicisation of the programme as it has the potential to defeat the purpose for which the local governance system was created.
President Mahama made this known when the Coalition of Election of DCEs (CED) called on him at the Flagstaff House, Kanda.
The CED, which is advocating the election of MMDCEs was at the Presidency to present a petition to President Mahama for consideration.
The petition collected signatures of 1,000 Ghanaians living in Ghana and abroad.
President Mahama said election of MMDCEs is critical as it forms part of the gamut of issues needed to improve the local governance system.
He said after the work of the Constitutional Review Committee, the government issued a white paper and the first step was to go with the government’s position, which called for the selection of five people who would be reduced to three after vetting by the Public Services Commission.
The three people would contest in an election for the position of MMDCE.
President Mahama said the Executive would also consider whether to allow individuals to campaign to be elected as MMDCEs.
The current procedure for the nomination of MMDCEs starts from the President, and the nominee would have to secure the approval of two thirds of assembly members to be confirmed.
Recently, there have been demonstrations leading to the vandalisation of government property in Salaga in the Northern Region and Nkwanta North in the Volta Region against some of the President’s nominees for the position of MMDCEs.
President Mahama said the current agitations against some of the nominees seemed to suggest that the people want greater say in who leads them and government is ready to make that possible.
The President commended members of CED for their advocacy role, and said government would study their petition and act swiftly on it.
Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond, Leader of the delegation expressed the need for the people to be given the chance to elect their MMDCEs.
Ghanaians should be allowed to contest the election for MMDCEs under the principle of the universal adult suffrage.
Nii Brew-Hammond said the election of MMDCEs is consistent with the provisions of 1992 Constitution.
He said governments over the years had demonstrated lack of commitment in supporting the processes.
He said it is important for Ghana to take a cue from Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda and other countries in Africa which allow the people to elect their representatives at the local levels, and called on President Mahama to set the example to leave an indelible mark as one of his legacies.
Source: GNA