A Local Governance Analyst, George Kyei Baffour has described the sacking of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives as unfortunate although he observes that the act is within the remits of the President’s powers.
President Nana Akufo-Addo on Thursday revoked the appointments of all 216 MMDCEs. A letter sighted addressed to all MMDCEs from the Ministry of Local Government, directed them to hand over their relevant duties to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs).
But speaking to Citi News, the local government analyst such move will truncate administrative processes within the various assemblies.
“Looking at it in the context of good governance and enhancement of decentralization in this country, I think it is an unfortunate event because it truncates the entire process of administrative and executive authority at the level of the assembly. But constitutionally, the president is close to the power to do what he has done and for that matter it is difficult to express reservations that much,” he explained.
Gov’t defends move
But the Minister nominee for Local Government, Hajia Alima Mahama has defended government’s decision to remove the MMDCEs from office.
She explained that the move will ensure a uniformity of vision at the national and sub-national level and to reflect the change in governance at the local level as well.
“Once there is a change in government, we have to ensure that it goes through national to sub-national level and that is what we have effected,” she said on Eyewitness News.
MMDCEs to be voted for
President Akufo-Addo had in his 2016 manifesto promised to allow MMDCEs to be elected based on recommendations of the Constitutional Review Commission.
He also reiterated same during his campaign saying “In 2018, we are going to move to fully elected District Assembly representations including the choice of the District chief Executive (DCE). It is going to be done by the people of the districts and no longer by the nomination of the President.”
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