'People want to directly elect their MMDCEs' — CDD-Ghana rejects govt proposal

The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has criticised the government’s proposed model for electing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), arguing that citizens want the opportunity to choose their local government leaders directly.

Dr Kojo Pumpuni Asante, Director of Policy Engagement and Partnerships at CDD-Ghana, said the disagreement centred on the proposed electoral process rather than the principle of electing MMDCEs.

Speaking on The Law programme on Joy News, he explained that the government’s position paper recommends a system under which the President nominates candidates, who are subsequently vetted before voters select their preferred executives.

Under the arrangement, citizens would therefore vote from a list of candidates who have already gone through the presidential nomination and vetting process.

However, Dr Asante said the proposal fell short of the expectations expressed by stakeholders during engagements on local government reforms.

“This is one of the most unpopular proposals by the government position paper. Everywhere we go, people just want directly elected MMDCEs,” he said.

He argued that citizens should have the same opportunity to elect their local government executives as they do the President and Members of Parliament.

“If they can elect their presidents, they can elect their MPs. There’s no reason why they cannot elect their MMDCE,” he added.

Dr Asante, however, cautioned that introducing direct elections would require broader reforms to Ghana’s local government system, particularly the structure of district assemblies and the administration of urban and rural areas.

He noted that Ghana has more than 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, raising questions about how the proposed electoral system would function across the country, especially in major urban centres.

He said the Constitution Review Committee had recommended the establishment of a devolution commission to address some of the challenges associated with the reforms. However, the government had rejected the proposal to establish the commission at the constitutional level.