REFERENDUM FOR MMDCEs ELECTION ON COURSE-MLG&RD
A
Bill approved by the Cabinet for a national Referendum to amend Article 55
Clause (d) of the 1992 Constitution is expected to mature in May 2019. An
amendment of this entrenched Constitutional provision will then pave the way
for the government to actualize its plans for the election of Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Chief Executives to deepen democracy and grassroots
participation in the governance architecture of Ghana.
A Technical Advisor to
the Ministry for Local Government and Rural Development, Dr. Oduro Osae,
disclosed this in Kumasi at the last General Meeting of the National House of
Chiefs for the year.
In a power point presentation on what government has been
doing about the creation of districts and the election of the MMDCEs to update
members of the House, Dr. Oduro Osae noted that, the Ministry of Local
Government and Rural Development is working hard towards the election of the
MMDCEs in fulfilment of the NPP’s campaign promise and that all the fragmented
laws relating to local government and governance are being reviewed to
synergize them for the purpose of the facilitating the election.
According to
Dr. Oduro Osae, so far, consultative for a have been held in all the regions
during which inputs of most stakeholders in the subject were gathered to shape
the process. He said, the roadmap is that the national Referendum would be held
alongside the upcoming District Level elections in June next, the election of
MMDCEs July 2021, swearing in of the winners in August as well as a Change
Management orientation for them in November of the same year.
On the government’s
policy on the creation of new districts, Dr. Oduro Osae said, government always
considers the population size and economic viability of a geographical area as
the major factors for the creation or splitting of new or existing districts to
decentralize governance and democracy.
A Deputy Minister for Local Government
and Rural Development, Nana Akwasi Agyei Boateng, said by next week when a
Legislative Instrument for the creation of six new district matures in
Parliament, it will increase the number of Ghana’s administrative districts
from 254 to 260.
Nana Agyei Boateng described the continuous appointment of
MMDCEs as the weakest part of Ghana's democracy.
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