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06.10.2018 Feature Article

Re: Rank and file of NPP against election of MMDCEs - John Boadu

Re: Rank and file of NPP against election of MMDCEs - John Boadu
06.10.2018 LISTEN

This is just a quick rebuttal to a publication headlined, “Rank and file of NPP against election of MMDCEs – John Boadu” as found on Ghana online news portal Breakingnewsgh.com on Saturday, 6 October 2018. Ghanaians will bear ourselves out that electing MMDCEs was one of the electioneering promises made to us by then presidential-aspirant Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He is steadily honouring his electioneering promises which will all fully be realised in the long term should he have the opportunity to stay in power for two terms.

I fully support this noble policy of elective but not appointive of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) as about to be implemented by His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The old man has the good interest of Ghana at heart. He has good intentions about the collective interests of Ghana and the people therein, but not the selective parochial interests of the very few as it seems to be the order in Ghana for the past many decades.

I know for a fact how some of these or almost all of the MMDCEs cunningly embezzle funds to become rich within a few months of assuming their post. They start to build mansions for themselves. How do they acquire their quick buck? They do so through awarding government contracts to their cronies at highly inflated costs to the nation and then take 5% or 10% as kickback from the contractors. They commit this open crime with impunity because part of the money they so dubiously collect is paid into their political party’s coffers to help with the upkeep of the party, especially, during electioneering campaign. Most of corruptly acquired money comes in through awarding contracts by sole sourcing.

Should any individual who is sane, meets the minimum education criterion set, etc., stands and wins the election, they will be less corrupt and can be held fully accountable without any political party rallying support behind them as it is now the case. Political parties quickly throw their weight behind a member of theirs who has flouted the law and is about to be prosecuted. They quickly invoke their disastrous, nonsensical and short-sighted accusation of political witch-hunt with the motive of setting their colleague free from the grips of the law. How on earth can a country develop by such reprehensible behaviour?

Again, it has often become a bone of contention when one is appointed by the President to become a District Chief Executive or a Metropolitan/Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for a particular district or municipality. The inhabitants of that district or municipality may in their majority, whether as members of the ruling political party or people residing in the area, prefer another person of their choice to the one being imposed on them by the President for certain hidden reasons. However, the President may insist on his choice of nominee becoming the DEC or MCE regardless. By this, disaffection is created among the members of the party or the inhabitants of that district. They will start to hate the government.

I quite remember very well, my memory serving me right, that in a municipality in the Western Region, a person was nominated by the President to fill the position of MCE should the Assemblymen and women vote for him. The NPP members in the area objected to the choice of that person since he never assisted in any way the hard job done by the party members to wrestle the constituency from NDC to NPP. However, John Boadu castigated them and insisted without shame that irrespective of whatever they do, even if it went to the President, that person will still be appointed to the post.

What an insult to the intelligence of the people; a slap in their face and rubbing salt in their wound. Once the general election is won, the top hierarchy that thinks they are influential and more human than others will want to fill all the good positions with their family members and cronies whether or not the people of their choice assisted in the party winning the election or not.

The election of people to fill the MMDCEs’ positions will eliminate the favouritism, nepotism and cronyism associated with it as made evident in its current appointive nature. The people of a district or municipality will have the dedicated person of their choice rather than one imposed on them for selfish reasons. The party in power can still make sure the elected officers deliver without sabotaging the ruling party in case they don’t belong to the same party. The elected officers will also be accountable to the people without having any protection by the government should they be non-performing and are being held to account by the people. Should they embezzle funds and State assets, there will be no political party to rally supportively behind them as it is contrary the case for all these past years.

I support this and other policies by the President which are all farsighted and in the long run, will be in the best interest of Ghana and Ghanaians. We should not continually dwell on the short-termism policies that Ghana have been implementing for the past “X” number of years, but are taking us nowhere. We need long term policies based on a 30 to 50 Year Development Plan for Ghana to truly develop. These are the exact policies being put in place by the President when he talks about free Senior High School, One District One Factory, One Village One Dam, One million dollars for every district, ending the destructive illegal small scale or surface mining called in the Ghanaian local parlance as “galamsey”, etc. Discerning Ghanaians should not expect all these policies to be achieved in four or eight years by the use of any abracadabra to achieve all the policies for Ghanaians to enjoy their fruits there and then.

Those who love to read my articles will soon be advised to follow me on Facebook as most of my articles submitted to my usual online publishers never see the light of day for reasons unknown to me but best known to them.

Let us all think about Ghana first before our political parties if we really want Ghana to develop socio-economically for the benefit of all. If Ghanaians will bear with His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for a few more years, they will reap greater benefits from his policies not only for themselves but also, for posterity.

Rockson Adofo

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