SONA 2019: Roadmap For Election Of MMDCEs To Be Implemented – Nana Addo

President Nana Addo has disclosed that a team of experts have advanced plans in the development of a roadmap for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), in its 2016 manifesto, promised to ensure the election of MMDCEs within 24 months of its election into office, to coincide with the next District Assembly elections in 2019 in order to promote accountability and good governance.

But delivering his third State of the Nation Address in parliament on Thursday, Nana Addo said a team of experts has been assembled to facilitate this process of decentralizing power to the ordinary Ghanaian.

While calling on parliament to give its bi-partisan support to the implementation process, the President hinted that government will use whatever means to achieve this feat.

“We have also embarked on another ambitious aspect of our decentralization program. That is the exercise to expand full democracy to local government. The Bill for the amendment for Article 55 (3) of the constitution is being gazzeted to pave way for the direct popular election on partisan basis of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives.

“It is expected that a referendum will be held on the bill alongside the unit assembly and district level in 2019. I am calling respectfully, Mr. Speaker for the repetition of the bi -partisan support that made possible the hugely successful outcomes in the referenda in the new regions to ensure success of the impending referendum. Furthermore, a disciplinary panel of experts is being assembled to plan a cost schedule and help implement a roadmap for the election of the MMDCEs. We are committed to devolving more and more power to the Ghanaian people, he added.

Bill for election of MMDCEs laid in Parliament

The Government laid a Bill in Parliament to amend the Constitution to allow for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the country.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had earlier presented the Bill on the amendment of some articles in the 1992 Constitution back in October 2018.

The articles slated for amendment are Article 243 (1) on the appointment of MMDCEs by the President and Article 55 (3), which prohibits the involvement of political parties in district-level elections.

On the roadmap for the election, the government has indicated that the election process would be in three phases; Pre-Referendum Activities, Referendum Activities, Post-Referendum Activities and the amendment of Article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution.

The Pre-Referendum processes consist of the formation of an election committee, which was established in 2017 and the review of legislation and preparation of background document. Election of MMDCEs will be chaotic if not partisan- O.B Amoah

The election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives will be chaotic if it is not conducted on partisan basis, Deputy Minister for Local Government, O.B Amoah has also said.

Making a case for the election to be held on a partisan basis, Mr. O.B Amoah said: “If you want to elect MMDCEs and it is non-partisan, it might be chaotic. We may end up with so many candidates. In a district we may end up with about seven contestants…and no one can stop them because it is non partisan, you cannot say one person should step down.”

He further indicated that the decision to make the election of MMDCEs partisan was not a new thing as most District Assembly Elections are usually held on partisan basis.

“If you have been following what is going in 1998, there were no political parties. From 1992 to till date some of us have been observers. Every District Assembly Election, we pretend it is non-partisan but parties line up against candidates. We know where each member of the Assembly stands , who brought them to the party, and which parties sponsors which candidates to be in the Assembly. Whether it is NPP or CPP. Except that the constitution does not allow it so we pretend.”

–citinewsroom