The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akuffo-Addo has announced his first much-anticipated nomination of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
During day-one of his tours in the Western North Region, President Akuffo-Addo declared the nomination of Amoah Yawson, as District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sefwi Akontombra.
Following the request by the Chief of Sefwi-Akontombra, Nana Kwabena Bieh, the President made this appointment during a meeting with the Chiefs and people of Akontombra as part of his tour in the Western North Region.
The President’s appointment comes in the wake of rising criticisms about how his delay in the appointment of MMDCEs is going to affect development at the local levels.
Meanwhile, Prior to the President’s nomination, the Deputy General Secretary of the NPP has revealed that President Akuffo-Addo has not violated any law regarding the delay in appointment of MMDCEs.
In his response to reports that some MPs of NDC have filed legal actions against the government over the delay, the Deputy General Secretary of NPP explained that NDC is the reason why there has been delay since they opposed the President’s proposal to reform the constitution to allow the election of MMDCEs rather than appointment.
“There is no law in Ghana that says that after having been sworn into office on 7th January, the President is mandated to appoint MMDCEs/DCEs within a specific time. When some of us campaigned that they should amend the constitution to ensure that we can vote for and nominate our own DCEs our brothers from NDC campaigned against it so I am not bothered at all.”
Deputy General Secretary of NPP
In August, 2021, the Executive Director of Community Development Alliance (CDA), Mr. Salifu Kanton, shared his sentiment the adverse impact the delay in appointment of MMDCEs, has on the development progress at the local levels.
Mr. Kanton explained that the local governance system in Ghana is designed in a way that places MMDCEs at the core of the growth in all assemblies. Therefore, a delay in their appointment would mean a halt in all developments at the grassroot.
However, NPP’s Deputy General Secretary disputed all claims that the delay is affecting governance at the local level.
Appointment list will be out soon
Despite being criticized widely for the delay in the appointment of MMDCEs in his second term, President Akuffo-Addo assured that the full list will be out soon.
According him, the delay is as a result of due diligence being adopted throughout the appointment process.
President Akuffo-Addo further described the processes involved as uneasy saying: “It’s been quite an exhaustive process and we are trying, as much as possible, to arrive at some consensus about them”.
Moreover, the President of Ghana noted that the reports from the committees set up for the selection process are subject to scrutiny. Upon completion, the list of the appointees will be released as soon as possible.
Also, at a press briefing held at the Jubilee House, the Director of Communications at the Office of the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, stated that the President is still studying the report presented to him by the committee adding that the appointment of MMDCEs is not a simple matter.
According to him, “all I can say is that soon the list will come out. I am not in the position to give timelines”.
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