We need to change this flawed method of selecting MMDCEs – Dr Akwetey
Ghanaians were witnesses to the issues that characterized the nomination of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs ) in Ghana and Executive Director for Institute for Democratic Governance Dr Emmanuel Akwetey has also expressed his dissatisfaction with the entire process.
According to him the basis for the selection of MMDCE nominees is superficial and discriminatory.
“The bigger question is can we continue with a flawed system, a system that has been breached so fundamentally? Look at the mode and criteria on which MMDCEs were nominated – your standing relationship with the party was number one and number two was whether you made some contributions to their winning elections or mobilizing people and the third was your competence;” Dr Akwetey stated.
“If you become the person the president appointed, do you have the capacity to govern, especially your likability in relation to chiefs and ethnic groups? In our democracy, the true identity of any democracy is your citizenship. That comes first and that is the basis for dealing with us equally,” he added,
He stressed the need for the various political parties to build consensus on viable ways of reforming the local governance system to tackle the flaws associated with selecting MMDCEs.
The need to build consensus
“We are in a historic situation where the two giants [NDC and NPP] want to reform the local government, and that kind of reform in a democratic system requires that a durable consensus is built between the two.”
Mr Akweteys suggestions come in the wake of the confirmation of some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive nominees.
Some MMDCEs were finally confirmed weeks after being nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Consensus building, according to Emmanuel Akwetey is also key to deciphering the way forward on the election of MMDCEs.
In September 2019, President Akufo-Addo started processes to amend Article 243(1) of the Constitution, which gives the President the power to appoint all MMDCEs.
As a way of improving the process, a referendum was also lined up to seek the support of citizens to amend Article 55(3) of the Constitution, which bans political parties from participating in local level elections and makes such elections partisan.
The referendum was suspended due to a perceived lack of a national consensus on the issue and the Attorney General then withdrew the Constitution Amendment Bills 2018 meant to amend Articles 55(3) and 243(1), from Parliament.
A recent CDD-Ghana Local Government Survey indicated that 76% of Ghanaians are in favour of the election of MMDCEs.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
