District Elections: NALAG Calls For Peace

As Ghanaians go to the polls today December 17 to elect their Assembly and Unit Committee members, the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) has extended a goodwill message to the over 54,000 candidates who are contesting the elections across the country.

The Association said as the mouthpiece and mother association of all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana, it is appealing to all candidates to eschew all forms of “unwholesome activities that will mar the beauty of our Democracy at the Local Level and the successes we have chalked at holding peaceful elections.”

“On this note, we wish to encourage all candidates to remove every form of action that will create chaos and infringe upon the human rights of others. It is our prayer and hope that God shall order the processes of this election and May the best candidate win”, NALAG further said.

In a Statement signed by the National President of NALAG, Bismark Baisie Nkum, the association commended the out-going Assembly members for the hard work and steadfastness in their four years’ service to their respective electoral areas and Districts at large.

“I take the opportunity to on behalf of the National Executive Council (NEC) of NALAG to wish all aspirants the very best in their contest to be able to serve the people of Ghana; to all the gallant candidates we say Ayekoo for your hard work and success in filing your nominations”, the statement said.

According to NALAG, it is rather unfortunate that “we could not have the referendum (as part of this years’ District Level and Unit Committee Elections) to amend article 55(3) of our Constitution, which sought to give political parties the right to participate fully in our District Level and Unit Committee Elections.”

“Even so, we congratulate the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who called on the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development to withdraw the two bills which would have activated the elective principle of our Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) on partisan lines, to allow for a broader stakeholder engagement and consensus building.”

"It is the hope of NALAG that the necessary engagements and consultations will be carried out and a possible revisit of the two articles to improve local government democracy in Ghana.

"To our affable and hardworking electoral officers we urge you to exhibit a high sense of professionalism in the dispensation of your duties. NALAG is calling on all electoral Officers to uphold a clean and fair election throughout the processes leading to the declaration of results," the statement emphasised.