• The role has to do with nominating leaders of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies
• An NDC MP says the known process has been inverted by the president
Benjamin Komla Kpodo, National Democratic Congress lawmaker for Ho Central and Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Local Government Committee, is worried about how the government is going about the nomination of Metropolitan, Municipal, District Chief Executives, MMDCEs.
According to him, beyond the unwarranted delay in the nominations especially for a president who inherited himself – as in secured reelection – the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government seem to have turned the normal process on its head.
Kpodo, whiles making submissions on the September 16 edition of Accra-based Citi FM’s Eye Witness News, stressed that the president looks confused relative to his role and that of his Local Government Minister.
“It appears the president is utterly confused about the process. It appears there is confusion all over, the political interests are really at work in the NPP against their own government.
“In the various assemblies, I am sure the power brokers are competing among themselves as to who becomes the chief executive in their respective areas. That is what is happening,” he submitted.
He wondered why a list submitted to the president will now to transmitted to the sector minister instead of the other way round.
“The process has been turned upside down. Is it the president who is asking the Minister for Local Government to accept his nomination or what? The Constitution is very clear, the Local Government Act is very clear. The president nominates and then the name goes to the Assembly (where) two-thirds of members sitting approve the nomination of the president,” he added.
On Thursday, September 16, 2021, the President transmitted to the Minister for Local Government and Regional Reorganisation, Dan Botwe, a final list of persons nominated for the various MMDAs.
The President’s move was disclosed by Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communications at the Presidency through a post on his Facebook time.
“List of MMDCE nominees finalized by President Akufo-Addo; it will be submitted in the morning to the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Hon. Dan Botwe. Expect the list to be announced by the Minister very soon,” he wrote.
It is, however, unclear if the President’s list submitted to Dan Botwe is based on the same recommended persons from the vetting committee.
The government has been criticised for the lack of progress in appointing new MMDCEs nine months into the new administration.
However, the Presidency has rejected claims that the delay in appointing MMDCEs hampered development at the local government level.
President Akufo-Addo with Dan Botwe, Local Government Minister