The Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin has revealed that President Akuffo-Addo has finalized the list of Metropolitan, Municipal and District chief executives (MMDCEs) to be nominated to serve in the unexpired term of the President of Ghana.

According to him, the list is expected to be received by the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Daniel Botwe, this morning for onward announcement.

The Communications Director made this announcement via his official twitter page.

“List of MMDCE nominees finalized by President Akufo-Addo; it will be submitted in the morning to the Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Hon. Dan Botwe. Expect the list to be announced by the Minister very soon.”
Eugene Arhin

This follows the President’s assurance that the full list of MMDCE appointees will be out soon, despite nationwide criticisms for the delay.

Delay in MMDCE appointment a major concern

Since President Akuffo-Addo was elected to serve his second term in office, the delay in nominating MMDCEs has been a major concern to many groups and individuals.

Following the President’s announcement of his first MMDCE appointee on 5^th September, the Civil Society Organisations Platform for Good Governance (CSOPGG) demanded the release of all the list of appointees.

Also, The CSOPGG demanded that the President ensured gender balance, as far as the MMDCE appointees’ list is concerned insisting that, “at least 30 per cent of MMDCEs in every region should be females”.

Meanwhile, last month, the Deputy General Secretary of NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen refuted all claims that President Akuffo-Addo had breached the law regarding the delay in his appointment of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chiefs.

In his response to reports that some Members of Parliaments (MP) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had filed legal actions against the government over the delay in the appointment of MMDCEs, the Deputy General indicated that the reason why there has been a delay is because NDC 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.”
Nana Obiri Boahen

On the reason why there has been a delay in the appointment of MMDCEs, President Akuffo-ddo explained that it is as a result of due diligence being adopted throughout the process.

He 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”.

However, the Executive Director of Community Development Alliance (CDA), Mr. Salifu Kanton, said the delay was negatively impacting the operations of the assemblies.

He explained that the local governance system is designed in a way that places the MMDCEs at the core of the development in all assemblies. Therefore, a delay in appointment of MMDCEs would mean a halt in all developments at the assembly level.