Government approves election of all District Chief Executives

The government has accepted a proposal to make all District Chief Executives (DCEs) subject to election, Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced.

Dr Ayine disclosed the decision on Thursday, July 30, while presenting the government’s White Paper on the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC).

The proposal forms part of broader constitutional reforms aimed at deepening decentralisation, strengthening local governance and increasing citizen participation in the administration of districts.

According to the Attorney General, the government’s position goes beyond the recommendation of the CRC, which proposed a gradual implementation of elected DCEs based on the financial capacity of individual districts.

He explained that the government believes all districts should have equal rights and opportunities to elect their local chief executives rather than creating a system where some districts vote while others do not.

“On the election of District Chief Executives, the Government has gone further than the Committee. The Committee recommended a phased approach, under which the right to elect a DCE would be tied to a district's fiscal capacity, so that some districts would vote and others would not.”

Dr Ayine said the government considers such a distinction potentially discriminatory and capable of creating political challenges.

“The Government takes the position that all District Chief Executives should be elected. Creating a distinction between voting and non-voting districts carries significant political costs and may be perceived as discriminatory against citizens.”

The proposed reform seeks to replace the current system where DCEs are appointed by the President, subject to approval by two-thirds of members of the relevant District Assembly.

If implemented, the change would mark a significant shift in Ghana’s local government structure by giving citizens direct authority to choose their district leaders.