Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, Nii Lante Vanderpuiye, has disclosed that the Minority will petition Parliament to summon the Minister for Local Government and Regional Reorganisation, Mr. Dan Botwe, over delays in appointment of MMDCEs.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo’s delay in appointing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for his second term is impacting negatively on development at the local government level.

He further explained that this is the first time such a delay has happened in the appointment of MMDCES in the country’s history.

“We are waiting. If by the time Parliament reconvenes the list has not been given, we are going to summon the Minister for Local Government and Regional Reorganisation to answer and tell us why this undue delay is happening.

“This has never happened in the history of this country. If this is his [President Akufo-Addo’s] first term, we would have given him that benefit of the doubt but the President has no excuse for this in his second term.”

Overtime, government has been criticised for the lack of progress in appointing new MMDCEs eight months into a new administration.

Appointments of MMDCEs are within the remit of the President, per Article 243 (1) of the 1992 Constitution.

Presidency debunks claims of delay’s impact on local government

That notwithstanding, Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, reacting to the claims by the minority insisted that “I don’t think there should be any cause for concern because work is still ongoing at the various MMDAs”.

“Currently, there is no vacuum at the various districts, metropolitan areas, and municipalities because the old MMDCEs are still in office on a day-to-day basis going about their respective duties”.
Eugene Arhin

Early on in August, President Akufo-Addo revealed that his team is working hard to reach a consensus on the appointment of the MMDCEs.

The President explained that various reports presented to him by committees set up for the selection process were currently being scrutinized. By virtue of that the final list will be out sooner than expected.

“It’s been quite an exhaustive process and we are trying, as much as possible, to arrive at some consensus about them”.
President Akufo-Addo

Delay justified as diligence

Touching on the election of MMDCEs, President Akufo-Addo revealed that the perceived delay in the appointments, is due to the diligence being followed in the appointing process.

He further noted that it is based on the rigorous process and the delay in the process that his administration proposed the election of MMDCEs.

Following this, the President expressed disappointment in the opposition NDC for rescinding on an earlier decision on the election of MMDCEs.

“I thought it was time in our history that we took multi-party politics to local government. Just as we elect MPs and the President, at the local level too let us elect our MMDCEs. But, unfortunately, the party opposite, after initially agreeing, later pulled out of that understanding”.
President Akufo-Addo