The Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has said he agrees with the decision for MMDCEs to be elected.
However, he disagrees that the election be made on partisan basis as the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been pushing since the time they were in power.
Appearing before the Appointments Committee of Parliament Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the Minister-designate stated that the idea, when presented to Ghanaians, was not accepted, and should not be promoted.
“Mr. Chairman, I agree that MMDCEs should be elected. The second question is, I disagree that it must be done on partisan basis and that is the bone of contention between the two sides. We said MMDCEs must be elected on non-partisan basis and you said they must be elected on partisan to basis. We sold these two ideas to Ghanaians; we had 184, you had 88. Ghanaians totally agree with election of MMDCEs on non-partisan basis,” he stated.
In 2021, a CDD-Ghana Local Government survey indicated that 76 per cent of Ghanaians were in favour of the election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
Seventy-one percent of Ghanaians said they prefer that MMDCEs be elected on a non-partisan basis whilst only 20 per cent opted for a partisan election format.
According to the CDD, the reasons given for the preference for non-partisan election format for MMDCEs include “ensuring competent persons get elected (29%); promotion of inclusivity/forestalling “winner takes all” challenges (22%); prevention of partisan influences/conflicts (21%), and promotion of transparency and accountability (19%).”
Among those calling for partisan election of MMDCEs, the CDD said 54 per cent believe the current format for local government election had been tainted by partisan influences and must be opened up to promote public interest in local elections.
“Others think it will promote responsiveness and development (19%); ensure that competent persons get elected (11%), and promote transparency and enable citizens to exact accountability from political parties (10%),” the CDD added.
The survey followed the delayed nomination of MMDCEs for Ghana’s 260 MMDAs during President Akufo-Addo’s second term.
It took the administration over 10 months to confirm the nominations made by the President after it took over its second term.
In September 2019, then President, Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, began processes to amend Article 243[1] of the Constitution, which gives the President the power to appoint all MMDCEs.
A referendum was also lined up to seek the support of citizens to amend Article 55[3] of the Constitution which bans political parties from participating in local level elections and make such elections partisan.
In line with this, 50 per cent of Ghanaians want the 1992 Constitution amended “to empower citizens to elect all local government representatives, including the one-third appointed by the President. However, a sizeable minority (43%) wanted the status quo maintained.”
However, in December 2019, the referendum was suspended due to a perceived lack of a national consensus on the issue.
The Attorney General then withdrew the Constitution Amendment Bills 2018 meant to amend Articles 55[3] and 243[1], from Parliament.
PLAYBACK: Appointments Committee of Parliament vets Local Gov’t Minister-designate, Ahmed Ibrahim
