Pave way for effective democracy- Effah Dartey

One of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential aspirants and a Member of Parliament for Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region, Hon. Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, has observed that under his presidency, he will vigorously advocate for the election of Regional Ministers, District and Municipal Chief Executives.,

He said the election of such individuals would strengthen the democratic structures, as well as paving way for development.

According to him, relying on Advisers and Regional Party Chairmen for the appointment by the President who probably might not be conversant with the people in a particular area, say Bawku, would not help the course of democracy but was quick to say, he would consult his cabinet on the matter and rely upon the party's manifesto.

Mr. Effah-Dartey poised to lead the NPP to victory in 2008, said, “As somebody who is very strong believer of local governance, I can assure you that, I am one of those who believe that District Chief Executives (DCE) and Regional Ministers should be elected.”

According to him, honestly, he believes that he would do his best to push the agenda of election of this people with advice from his cabinet. “Of course, if my cabinet and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) advice otherwise, I will listen to their opinion but I am one who believes that, we should have more democratization. I want to see a situation where local governments' officials are elected, even Regional Ministers are elected so that you know that there will be democracy at almost every level of governance,” he emphasized.

Hon. Effah-Dartey, also a former Minister of Interior, made this observation at a press conference he organized to officially announce his presidential candidature, when he was asked about his views about his party's manifesto on election of DCEs.

He asserted that the election of DCEs and Regional Ministers would quicken the pace for development, adding that his main reason why Regional Ministers and DCEs should be elected was the fact that a sitting President would not know the effective and the capabilities of an individual at a remote area, citing an example as somebody living at Bawku.

“You don't know everybody at Bawku. You don't have to rely on your advisers in Bawku,” stating that what he has noticed which enforced his decision to advocate for the election of DCEs and Regional Ministers, was power blocks between advisers and the potential candidates.

According to the legislator who was of the view that relying probably on a Chairman for advise on who should be a DCE, said, “for all you know, the Chairman is Inca hoots or quarrelling with the executives or there is disagreement in the party or the chief of the area groups, so many parties and for me, I think that after the election of the person, there would be peace. But I would have to rely on first of all the party's manifestos, secondly research report from NCCE and the Electoral Commission (EC).”

Responding to the roles he played in awarding a contract at his District without passing through tender to the effect that a committee was set up to investigate him and he was to be sanctioned, Mr. Effah-Dartey, denied ever taking any wrong decisions