President Akufo-Addo has given assurances that over 90% of nominees for Metropolitan and Municipal District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) would be given the nod to serve in their respective areas in the ongoing confirmation exercise.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Pure FM, the nation’s leader said “About 109 and 150 have been confirmed with 11 rejections which is overwhelming. I suspect that by the end about 90 plus percent of the people would be confirmed and the rest, we would relook at it as to whether to re-nominate or…”
Alluding to the recent CDD-Ghana survey, he took the opportunity to reaffirm his position that MMDCEs should be elected as opposed to the current system in place.
“I’ve not changed my views about voting for MMDCEs… Though the opposition rejected this proposal, they might be reflecting on it now based on what’s happening now… I believe that’s the element of democratic control that we want to work all through our political system”
The CDD-Ghana report had indicated that 76% of the Ghanaian populace wants their Metropolitan and Municipal District Chief Executives to be elected.
The report cited the following reasons, “ensuring competent persons get elected (29%); promotion of inclusivity/forestalling “winner takes all” challenges (22%); prevention of partisan influences/conflicts (21%), and promotion of transparency and accountability (19%).”
Again, 54 percent believe the current format for local government election had been tainted by partisan influences and must be opened up to promote public interest in local elections.
“I believe local governance system across the world which have been effective are the ones where the local areas have a direct control over the person who works for them and they do it by voting just as we have for our presidential and parliamentary candidates”, said the president.
He added that such a system affords the electorates the chance for change – kick out underperforming chief executives or people who fail to deliver on their mandate.
He also noted that his administration is almost through with setting up the full complements of government and state machinery by close of October to pave way for major constitutional development.
