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The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has described the promise by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to allow Ghanaians to vote for their Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) during the 2016 election as a subterfuge and a clear aberration to Ghana’s development progress.

According to the PPP, the decision of the ruling NPP to stop DCEs from contesting the parliamentary primaries unless they step down three clear years before the primaries is a clear indication that the NPP is not ready to allow Ghanaians to vote for their MMDCEs.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Secretary, Mr Murtala Mohammed, it said the NPP and the government were taking the people of Ghana for granted.

“They are gradually adjusting every promise they made to Ghanaians prior to the 2016 election. The recent decision at their extraordinary delegates conference is enough proof that the promise to elect MMDCEs will not be implemented, at least not in the next four years,” the PPP stated.

Consolidate democracy

In order to consolidate democracy in the country and build the capacities of public office holders at all levels of government, the PPP underscored the need to redefine the political structure of the country by allowing the citizenry to elect their MMDCEs.

That, the PPP noted, would facilitate development and enhance accountability at the local level.

It stated that best practices all over the world pointed to decentralisation as the key component to rapid development.

Development experts

Furthermore, the PPP indicated that both development experts and all political stakeholders had concluded that the only way to develop the nation rapidly was to allow the citizens to elect their own MMDCEs.

“Why are successive governments failing to implement this crucial developmental agenda in Ghana? It is either they don’t have the interest of the people at heart or they are pursuing a parochial interest detrimental to the state,” the PPP pointed out.

The PPP reiterated its stance on the direct and popular election of all MMDCEs as the panacea for Ghana’s development.

“We shall continue, therefore, to advocate for this cause until it’s implemented. The will of the people cannot be taken for granted,” the PPP concluded.