Constitutional Amendment Bill 2018 For Election of MMDCEs Laid Before Parliament

The Constitutional (Amendment) bill 2018 has been laid before Parliament today by the Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Hon Joseph Kpemka on behalf of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

The bill seeks to amend article 242 of the constitution which spells out the composition of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies ( MMDAs)  as well as article 243 of the constitution to allow the electorates in the country to elect MMDCEs instead of the President appointing such MMDCEs as it is currently.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Prof Michael Aaron Oquaye has therefore referred the bill to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

After deliberations, the committee will recommend to the House to either pass the Bill into law or reject it.

If the decision is for approval and the House so determines, the Bill will be read a second time and then taken through the consideration stage before it is read a third time and passed.

Campaign Promise

The election of MMDCEs is one of the key campaign promises of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2016 election.

When he won the election, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo affirmed his resolve to follow the constitutional process to have the election of MMDCEs.

Functions of MMDCEs

Per Article 243(2) of the Constitution, the District Chief Executive shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee of the Assembly; be responsible for the day-to-day performance of the executive and administrative functions of the District, and be the chief representative of the Central Government in the District.