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General News of Wednesday, 21 February 2001

Source: GNA

Election of District Chief Executives costly -Assemblyman

Mr. Abdul-Majeed Chendow, Assemblyman for Kumfong Electoral Area of the Yendi District Assembly, has said government\'s intention to have District Chief Executives elected will drain the country\'s financial resources.

\"It will cost government a lot of money to organise elections in the 110 districts for each District Chief Executive to be selected by universal adult suffrage,\" he said at Yendi on Monday at a meeting with residents of his electoral area.

The meeting was held to plan for an electrification project.

Mr. Chendow therefore appealed to the President to appoint the DCEs with the prior approval of not less than two-thirds majority of the Assembly Members, thus limiting voting to the district assemblies to cut down cost.

He said a departure from the manifesto of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the issue cannot be avoided in view of the country\'s precarious economic situation.

Mr. Chendow said, \"If we have to organise another general election to elect District Chief Executives, we will have to rely on foreign assistance to fund the elections\".

This situation, he said, should be avoided in view of Ghana\'s mounting foreign debt.

He said NPP\'s resounding victory at the elections has not only lifted the image of Ghana as a true democratic country but has also shown that democracy can thrive on the African Continent, adding that there is nothing to prove again.